Retrofitting Building Stairwells with Prefabricated Elevator Towers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for retrofitting buildings with elevator systems often fail to provide fully barrier-free access, as they either require significant renovation or are not cost-effective, especially when integrating the elevator system with the existing stairwell facade, leading to incomplete accessibility for individuals with mobility issues.
Innovation Solution
The method involves converting a two-flight staircase into a single-flight staircase by rotating and reassembling the sections, allowing the elevator system to be integrated without removing the existing staircase, thus reducing costs and construction time while ensuring barrier-free access by connecting the elevator platforms directly to the main landings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the elevator system is positioned at the front of the building in front of the stairwell facade, then the construction time is reduced and cost is lowered, but barrier-free access is not achieved as users must still climb or descend half a floor using the two-flight staircase
Solution Approach 1:
The two-flight staircase is divided into two separate half-staircases. One half is removed and the other half is retained and repositioned to form a single-flight staircase configuration, enabling direct access from ground level to the elevator landing without intermediate landings
Solution Approach 2:
The staircase configuration is transformed from a two-flight design (requiring vertical movement to intermediate landings) to a single-flight design (providing direct vertical access), changing the dimensional path of user movement within the stairwell space
2Ease of operation
If the stairwell is gutted and completely rebuilt with an elevator system, then barrier-free access is achieved, but construction time increases and access to floor doors is impossible during the construction period
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is prefabricated in advance with receptacles positioned to receive the intermediate landings that will be removed from the stairwell. This preliminary preparation enables rapid assembly during construction without requiring complex on-site fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate landings are removed from the existing stairwell configuration and reused as elevator platforms in the new configuration, eliminating waste and reducing the need for additional materials
3Ease of operation
If the two-flight staircase is completely removed and replaced with a new single-flight staircase, then barrier-free access is achieved, but cost increases due to disposal and new construction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of completely removing and discarding the two-flight staircase, one half is retained and repositioned to form the new single-flight staircase. The removed half is rotated and reattached to create the continuous stair run, eliminating disposal costs and reducing material waste
Solution Approach 2:
The staircase configuration parameters are changed by rotating one half 180 degrees around the vertical axis and repositioning it, transforming the two-flight configuration into a single-flight configuration without requiring complete reconstruction
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for retrofitting a building 1 with an elevator system 22. The building 1 has a plurality of floors 3, which are accessible via a common stairwell 5 with main landings 6 and intermediate landings 12. In this process, the stairwell facade 8 is removed, a frame 16 is placed against the opened stairwell 5, which is provided or will be provided with elevator landings, the intermediate landings 12 are removed, walkways 19 are installed that extend horizontally from the main landings 6 to the elevator landings 18 and provide sufficient clearance for a single-flight staircase, and a prefabricated elevator system 22 is attached to the frame 16. The elevator system 22 can also be prefabricated together with the frame 16 as an elevator tower 24.The double-flight staircase is converted into a single-flight staircase by retaining a first half of the double-flight staircase and removing the other half of the double-flight staircase and, rotated section by section by 180 degrees around the vertical axis, attaching it to the first half of the double-flight staircase to form, together with it, the single-flight staircase that connects the main landings 6 with the elevator landings 18.