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LIGHT STRUCTURES
I am obsessed with light structures. I am endlessly searching THE LANTERN’S EMERGENCY STAIRCASE
for the lightest structure and, in my eyes, saving material is a
cardinal virtue. The generalisation of a sustainable approach to All construction aspects of that staircase have been conceived
architecture actually confirms this attitude of mine. so as to maximise the real and felt lightness along with the
work’s transparency:
Some applications authorise (and therefore invite) me to – flights and landings are made up of a simple 5 mm-thick sheet
undertake a peculiar reasoning: rather than concentrating all stiffened by the folds shaping the steps and carpeted;
loads on the “heavy” elements of a primary structure (beams, – the flights / landings ensembles are welded to zigzagging
columns, vertical and cross girders…) and adding the weight of stringers following the steps’ outline;
the shutting “panels” to them, why wouldn’t I spread the loads – a simple 2 mm-thick uninterrupted grid is suspended to the
into that “panel” as it is there anyway? The whole material is at floor slab on both sides of the flights, the latter resting on it and
work then and should we manage to avoid compression and stringers being bolted to it. The lower part of those walls shows
bending, the buckling virtually disappears and the structure a non-perforated strip following the steps’ outlines, covering
lightens up remarkably. Philippe Samyn and fitting the stringer perfectly. The upper part is non-
perforated too but corresponds to the wood floor’s thickness.
PERFORATED GRIDS Perforated walls act as railings; hand-railings are fixed to it;
– holes are positioned in the shape of a triangle and oriented
With new steel processing and new manufacturing so as to keep a 1 mm-wide vertical continuity every centimetre.
technologies, perforated grids have turned into a material Therefore, the vertically available steel portion is significantly
particularly rich with possibilities: sufficient to support the staircase’s weight, even with a standard
– cutting techniques with digitally controlled machines allow resistance (S235) steel grade. Moreover, only one-fifteenth of
for free distribution of grids perforated areas on their surface. the wall grids’ elastic limit is used, which makes it possible to do
The most loaded areas (in particular grid fixation spots to their without any fireproof protection as stated by the fire resistance
support) can easily be maintained without being pierced; calculation;
– thick layers can be perforated (up to 10 mm in some – the irregular positioning of flights, generated by the concave-
configurations), thus allowing for bearing significant loads; convex shape of the lantern’s facade, increases the perceived
– transparency and its inherent lightening can reach very lightness, each flight conveying a feeling of flying in the air
significant values. The transparency rate for the grids used in the independently from upper and lower flights.
Europa building is 56.23%;
– resorting to high or very high resistance steel grade makes it PRESS FOYERS ON THE 1ST AND 2ND FLOORS
possible to use very thin grids with a high opening rate;
– autogenous edge-to-edge welding allows for perforated On those two floors, working and waiting areas reserved for
panels to be extended nearly limitless beyond their manufacture journalists occupy the vast space located between the lantern
dimensions. and the Residence Palace. For free and intense communication
between people there, those two floors are connected by
means of five circular openings 2.74 m in diameter. A helicoid
staircase occupies one of those openings, whilst railings
surround another opening in its upper section and a ring-
shaped round table follows the opening’s outline at each level
on the other three.
