The Sihlpost: Zurich’s landmark building with a brand new interior

Date: 16 January 2017
Source: www.geze.com
GEZE Automatic door systems in the Sihlpost buidling entrance areas.
Photo source
Max Dudler Architekten AG

Date: 16 January 2017

State-of-the-art GEZE automatic door systems in the historic building.

With its clock tower that can be seen from afar, close to the main railway station, Zurich’s main postal building, the “Sihlpost”, is a historical landmark of the city.

Built in the style of the “new building” era, the 123-metre long rectangular building was regarded as the most modern postal office in the world when it was completed in 1930.

As the building’s owner, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) invested 45 million Swiss francs into a comprehensive renovation. Under the direction of Max Dudler Architekten AG, the building was adapted to the most modern building standards.

Access to the KV Zurich Business School at the side façade: Maximum door opening in limited space: four-leaf automatic telescopic sliding door with Slimdrive SLT drive systems in escape route design. Photo: GEZE GmbH
Access to the KV Zurich Business School at the side façade: Maximum door opening in limited space: four-leaf automatic telescopic sliding door with Slimdrive SLT drive systems in escape route design. | Photo: GEZE GmbH

Today, the listed building presents itself not only as a post office. Completely renovated in the interior and with a new exterior façade, it serves as a modern townhouse for trade, gastronomy, business and education.

GEZE contributes with modern multifunctional door automation and safety technology to safe and comfortable building use.

The imposing façade of the building is dominated by three large glass portals as access points to the switchboard and the separate locker area.

Fine-framed for maximum transparency while being optically discreet, the two-leaf glass sliding doors – nearly 300 cm high and 320 cm in width – have power, performance and safety in the façade and the vestibules: they offer self-evident accessibility, a safe escape route and increased burglary resistance.

The Slimdrive SL-FR drive systems ensure “clear passage” in escape and rescue route doors in the event of danger. Modern, intelligent control technology conceals itself in the discreet Slimdrive control units in "70-millimeter optics" that is typical to GEZE.

The time the doors remain open adapts to the frequency of through traffic. If the visitor flow increases, the door leaves are automatically kept open for longer. The movement parameters (acceleration, hold-open time, and opening and closing speed) may be set individually.

The control of the Slimdrive drives makes the doors future-proof and makes system integration into building control technology possible, so that monitoring or changing door functions can also be carried out remotely.

 

When it gets tight: maximum opening widths

Entrance to the Bindella Restaurant Più: The automatic sliding door in the vestibule with Slimdrive SL-FR-drives for "clear passage" in the escape route. Photo: GEZE GmbH
Entrance to the Bindella Restaurant Più: The automatic sliding door in the vestibule with Slimdrive SL-FR-drives for "clear passage" in the escape route. Photo: GEZE GmbH

With the new design of the Sihlpost building, now used by even more people than before, a direct access to the KV Zurich Business School was created via the newly named Sihlpostgasse.

In the limited building opening, a maximum opening width of 250 cm was achieved with a four-leaf automatic telescopic sliding door system with specific Slimdrive SLT drive systems, designed as emergency exits.

The "parking" of the door leaves is not a problem with this solution. Fanlights enable the maximum use of daylight.

 

Safety and efficiency in the service areas

The tested quality of the GEZE solutions for fire protection doors as fire barriers was chosen in the basement of the traditional vegetarian restaurant, Hiltl, with fully automatic sliding door solutions of fire resistance class EI30.

They ensure an enclosed space in the event of fire, smoke or heat. Light and almost silent, a particularly powerful Powerdrive PL drive moves the large, heavy and wide opening metal sliding door to the storage area.

With Slimdrive SL NT drives, a two-leaf metal sliding door with viewing windows overcomes the permanent "on and off" of the service personnel in the restaurant kitchen, in a barrier-free, safe manner, quickly and quietly.

In accordance with their function as fire barriers, these doors close in the event of a power failure using pre-stored energy. Therefore the closing function continues to be ensured even if there is a fire.

In the event of fire, the doors close automatically, providing a secure fire barrier – even if the hold-open function of the automatic door was previously in use.

Automatic fire protection doors in the basement of the Hiltl restaurant: Powerful, safe and quiet – single-leaf sliding door with the Powerdrive PL drive for large and heavy door leaves as access to the storage area (left) - fast and secure, even if it is hectic – double-leaf sliding door with viewing window, with Slimdrive SL NT drive for high-frequency kitchen access (right). Photos: GEZE GmbH
Automatic fire protection doors in the basement of the Hiltl restaurant: Powerful, safe and quiet – single-leaf sliding door with the Powerdrive PL drive for large and heavy door leaves as access to the storage area (left) - fast and secure, even if it is hectic – double-leaf sliding door with viewing window, with Slimdrive SL NT drive for high-frequency kitchen access (right). Photos: GEZE GmbH

 

F.l.t.r.: Door control and protection with GC 363 SF combined detectors: for reliable detection with direction detection. They provide the highest level of security in the escape route by means of integrated self-monitoring. Entrance to the Wolfskin store: Also on the side façades: free accessibility and escape route protection in the continuous GEZE door design with Slimdrive SL-FR sliding door systems. Photos: GEZE GmbH
F.l.t.r.: Door control and protection with GC 363 SF combined detectors: for reliable detection with direction detection. They provide the highest level of security in the escape route by means of integrated self-monitoring. Entrance to the Wolfskin store: Also on the side façades: free accessibility and escape route protection in the continuous GEZE door design with Slimdrive SL-FR sliding door systems. Photos: GEZE GmbH

 

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Comments

Dolores Kimura
Wed, 31/01/2018 - 11:59

Preventing fires is the first step to take for your family.

 

Dolores Kimura
Wed, 31/01/2018 - 12:03

It is very important to install smoke detectors, fire alarm system throughout your home by hiring some Electricians in Downingtown PA (https://www.dndenergy.com), Florida, New York, and other places of the united States, which will provide an earlier alert and save valuable seconds. Yes, I have heard that automatic fire protection door will automatically close once the alarm has set off, I think each and every commercial and residential area should install these doors to include safety precautions when it comes to building safe structures.