Glass railings
High quality glass railings
Glass railings as fall protection ensure optimal transparency and lightness indoors and outdoors.
Range of services
Glass railings
Simply glass | Glass railings – System MetallArt
Glass railings guarantee maximum transparency. System profiles constituting the supporting structure to accomodate the glass panes can be designed in steel, stainless steel or aluminium (powder-coated or anodised). At the top the glass railings are usually bordered by handrails made of stainless steel round tubes or wood. To increase the filigree and discreet character of the balustrade the handrails can also be realised with filigree U-channel sections. The construction can thus be reduced to its essentials.
Glass parapets / railings according to DIN 18008
Glass railings must comply with the legal regulations of the German building authorities according to DIN 18008 (former TRAV = Technical rules for fall protection glazing). The beam load, regulated in the stairs-DIN 18065 is 0,5 kN/lfdm (running metres) for residential buildings. In public buildings the beam load amounts 1,0 kN/lfdm (running metre). Depending on the categorie A, B or C the beam load for the handrail is taken up by the railing posts or by the glass panels themselves. This has an impact on the type and thickness of the glass to be used for the all-glass railing.
Are you an architect or planner? Here you can find our tender texts, which are available for you to be downloaded. You can also send us your individual request for a railing!
References
Elegant newel staircase with glass railing | GfK Nuremberg
The newel staircase with glass railing in elegant white complements the representative lobby of the new GfK headquarters.
Magic surface for interior staircase | Villa Cologne
An elaborate finish with liquid metal turns the curved interior staircase into a stunning masterpiece!
Ambitious design for spiral staircase | Maria Ward School
The three-storey balustrade stringer stairs in the aula of the ultra-modern school complex in Nuremberg excels as a bespoke top-class construction.
Spiral staircase with glass railing | WINX Tower Frankfurt
An elegant spiral staircase with all-glass railing and fall-preventing parapet-high stringer impresses in the WINX Tower in Frankfurt.
Steel spiral staircases & all-glass railings | Building 2 in Basel
In the Roche office tower, 16 steel spiral staircases with curved glass railings characterise a brilliant staircase archictecture.
Stringer staircase featuring glass railing | TaunusTurm Frankfurt
The high-gloss polished stainless steel ring surrounding the elegant stringer staircase in TaunusTurm Frankfurt/Main captures attention.
Curved steel stairs on the Bühler Innovation Campus in Uzwil
MetallArt manufactured a design staircase for the research center, with a perfect interaction of steel and glass.
Steel balustrades | Nash Airport Hotel
The upscale atmosphere of the Geneva four-star hotel is underlined by the steel balustrades with exclusive LED lighting system.
Ellipsoidal steel stairs | Max Mara in Vienna
The sculptural steel staircase construction with all-glass railings sets the highest design standards in Max Mara's upscale boutique.
Stringer staircase at EVF Göppingen
The modern stringer staircase with light cove and underside cladding attracts the visitors of EVF in Göppingen.
Rustic design stairs | Burgerlich in Hamburg
The design staircase in Hamburg's Burgerlich restaurant perfectly complements the ambience with its dark wood and steel elements.
Impressive rounded designer staircase with LED handrail lighting
The highlight of the designer staircase is the innovative LED handrail lighting.
Exclusive staircases for the Spectrum of the Seas
The rounded stringer stair convinces with family-friendly design and functional execution.
Glass railing and parapet-high stringer
A special feature is the positioning of the stairs on a concrete base with two steps.
Filigree stainless steel profile for glass railing
To achieve the greatest possible transparency, a filigree stainless steel U-profile was constructed as an edge protection.
Glass railing for steel stairs | Vector Informatik GmbH
Our elegant steel stringer staircase, covering four storeys, presents itself in the foyer of the company building.
Thermal bath Kristall trimini with glass railings | Lake Kochel
The white glass balustrades by MetallArt in the outer area of the thermal bath allow an impressive view.
Staircase | Longchamp in Munich
The stairs from MetallArt fit perfectly into the stylish interior of the store.
Steel stairs with all-glass railings | DSV Krefeld
The impressive staircase in the DSV company building in Krefeld leads up three floors.
All-glass railing in Luxembourg
The all-glass railing in the Bâtiment Eagle company building in Luxembourg is a real eye-catcher.
All-glass railing | Betzold in Ellwangen
We provide for maximum transparency of the glass railings and also for a convincing room design.
Glass railings as design elements for stairs
The innovative stairs with glass railings were combined with elements of Corian.
All-glass railings | Furniture Store Segmüller
The centerpiece of the furniture store is an elegant spindle ramp with all-glass railing that connects the four floors.
Curved sculptural stairs at Heraeus
The sculptural stringer staircase with smooth-surfaced steel soffit cladding impresses with its light and flowing appearance.
Parapet-high stringer stairs at the five-star-plus hotel The Fontenay
The steel stringer staircase captivates by the glass railing of the piano bar with rounded design and imposing shape.
Daimler Benz in Stuttgart/Sindelfingen
This extravagant staircase presents itself like a sculpture in the foyer of the Mercedes Benz factory in Stuttgart/Sindelfingen.
Design stairs at the Steelcase Learning + Innovation Center Munich
The surface of the steel soffit cladding was supplied and installed with a primer coating for painting by the customer.
Curved glass railings for spiral stairs
MetallArt has taken up the challenge of the high requirements in glass construction.
Glass railing in the Prediger light shop in Hamburg
With this glass railing, the panes protrude freely from the supporting structure - without disturbing posts.
Stairs with glass railings in the foyer of the KfW Bank in Frankfurt
The soffit cladding of sheet steel gives the staircase the character of a modern architectural style.
Spiral stairs in the PANEUM in Asten
MetallArt was responsible for the spiral staircase and glass parapets as well as for the site management.
The building as a helix | EMBL Heidelberg
The ramp constructions with the glass railings form the construct for the double helix connecting all levels.
Steel stairs | WMD in Ahrensburg
Due to the all-glass railings accomodated by the stair stringers, the steel stairs have a stylish and modern appearance.
All-glass railing for thermal spa in Bucharest
The all-glass railing contributes significantly to the open and light-flooded character of the thermal spa.
All-glass railings & box-type stringer stairs | BOA VISTA Hamburg
To emphasize the exclusive character of BOA Vista, MetallArt produced numerous all-glass railings.
Highlights of modern staircase construction
The tread steps seem to jut freely out of the wall which results in an expressive visual effect.
All-glass railing & parapet-high stringers
As a prominent element in the room the spiral steel stairs fits perfectly into the homogeneous interior design.
Glass railings for Engelbert Strauss in Biebergemünd
The transparent glass railings impress with the horizontally running stainless steel handrails.
All-glass railings in architecture
Glass constructions for balustrades
In its early years the construction of glass balustrades was characterized by steel or stainless steel posts constituting the actual railing system. For the balustrade filling the glass panes were inserted between the posts by point holders. The glass balustrade preventing from falling was prefixed along the slab edge or the stairs.
State-of-the-art all-glass railings however no longer depend on these stainless steel posts. The glass panes can directly be inserted and fixed linearly to the floor profile by means of a specially developed method. The base profiles themselves can be inserted into the flooring conveying the impression that the glass panes freely jut out from the floor. With this type of construction, belonging to category B of the German DIN 18008, the rail load of the balustrade must be statically transferred from the glass panes. The type of glass to be used depends on the static calculation (single-pane safety glass, laminated safety glass). This also applies to the thickness of the glass which is based on the calculation concerning the rail load.
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AbP for all-glass railing System MetallArt (only applies to Germany)
General test certificate of the German building authorities
Since 2014/15 building constructions made of glass are subject to DIN 18008 and must comply with the relevant regulations concerning construction and structural design. This norm replaces the previous regulations of the TRAV (technical rules for the use of fall-protection glazing). DIN 18008 is divided into 5 parts. The relevant regulations for glass railings/all-glass railings are stipulated in part 4 “Additional specifications for fall protection glazing”. They are valid for balcony glazing and all-glass railings for stairs.
There is an increasing trend to manufacture the individual panes of glass railings and balustrades as large as technically possible.
With our MetallArt system we have the possibility to exceed the standards regarding the dimensions stipulated in DIN 18008 and consequently meet the special requirements of our customers. Due to our specially developed system for all-glass railings in combination with the granted AbP (approval by a general test certificate of the German building authorities) we are able to significantly exceed the dimensions of the indiviual glass panes regarding lenght and width. The AbP applies to all straight, curved and ascending glass railings for balconies, galleries or stairs.The MetallArt railing system finds use for lateral assembly (single-edged slab) as well as for floor assembly (directly onto the floor).
Beside the frames made of steel or stainless steel the product range was extended. We are able to offer 3 additional aluminium frames ensuring various design options:
- floor profile made of stainless steel- ground or polished
- floor profile made of steel – primed, zinc-coated or painted
- floor profile made of aluminium – powder-coated or anodised
AbP for glass railings with filigree stainless steel handrail (onyl applies to Germany)
According to DIN 18008 glass panes clamped below need to be protected by a continuous handrail. A filigree U-channel made of stainless steel meets this regulation. There is a high relevance in modern architecture for solutions waiving any additional elements for glass balustrades. Pure glass is the motto. However, as DIN 18008 requires the edge protection we corresponded to this guideline with the filigree U-channel handrail protecting the panes.
To obtain the General test certificate of the German building authorities (AbP) we cooperated closely with a testing laboratory approved by the German Institute for Structural Engineering (DIBt). So-called pendulum impact tests proving the shock resistance as well as comprehensive structural calculations considering different situations of load bearing and assembly were undertaken.
Laminated Safety Glass (VSG) for glass railings
Laminated safety glass is composited with 2 glass panes stuck together with an PVB film by lamination technology. When laminating there is a clear, elastic and tear-resistant film inserted between 2 panes. The thermal treatment in the autoclave results in a durable bond between the glass panes and the film. In case of glass breakage the panes are hold together by the PVB film. The laminated saftey glass panes can be made of single-pane saftey glass (ESG) or a combination of single-pane safety glass and floating glass panes.
All-glass railings for stairs
Functional glasses for stair railings
Steel stairs designed with box-type stringers are ideally suited for glass railings as the glass panes can be directly inserted in the stair stringers. The stringers consequently constitute the base profile for the accomodation of the glass panes. This applies both for straight as well as for curved balustrades. A significant advantage of the MetallArt railing system is the use of the same system profile for the ceiling frame and for the staircase. Especially where the stair construction meets the ceiling frame an homogeneous and uniform appearance can thus be obtained due to this solution.
In case of cantilevered stairs or folded stairs the glass panes can be fixed directly at the treads by stainless steel point holders.
Matured assembly technology
Custom-developed assembly method
To meet the high standards for working with glass we developed a special assembly method for the MetallArt glass railing system on the basis of our longstanding experience. With a casting compound corresponding with the German inspection standards the glass panes can be cast in the system profile free of constraint forces and, subsequently, sealed (with EPDM rubber or silicone). For the excact alignment there is no need anymore for the glass panes to be wedged by complex clamping.
Pendulum impact test for ZiE (individual approval)
In addition to the general binding regulations for glass railings specified in DIN 18008, it is possible to apply for a General Test Certificate issued by the German Building Authorities (AbP) or for a General Approval by the German Building Authorities (AbZ). These permissions are compulsory for glass railings deviating from DIN 18008. To meet special needs in particular cases it is furthermore possible to apply for an approval on an individual basis (ZiE). Therefore, a so-called pendulum impact test under conditions identical in construction has to be performed by an institute approved by the DIBt (German Institute fo structural engineering).
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