Top rides in special glass lifts made by GBH Design GmbH

Special lifts have to meet special challenges with regards to technology and design. A prominent example is the Grandstand glass lifts of the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai: the unusual height of 3.5 m for the glass car required a customised design and production of the glass car and extra high glass (3m) door panels. Other sensational projects are the double-decker glass lift for 30 persons in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Berlin that runs through an aquarium, or a 24 ct hand-gilded lift in Arabic-Oriental design. There is almost no limit to our ideas, provided they are technically feasible.

Private Residence in Berne

A lift system unique in terms of technique and design was conceived and built by GBH Design for a private residence in the capital of Switzerland, Berne.

Upon the owners’ request the lift construction had to be as transparent as possible, with little visible technology but many innovative elements. The special construction of this hydraulic lift does not require any guide rails.

The exclusive GBH Design doors with underfloor drive are one of the contributions for the lift’s perfect design and for transparency. Since the cabin size is relatively small, a handrail was neither needed nor desired. Integrated into the door frame is the cabin operation panel, and the floor indicator is built into the cabin glazing as an LED spot.

The cabin’s power supply is provided by a battery and radio system, thus making a suspension rope unnecessary.

Once again GBH Design was able to integrate a modern lift into a listed building. 


Technische data:

1 lift system
Rated load 375 kg or 5 persons
4 stops
Travel height 8.92 m
Hydraulic drive
Rated speed 0.6 m/s
Built 2016

Radisson Blu Hotel Dom Aquarée, Berlin

The lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel in the city center of Berlin houses the biggest cylindrical aquarium of the world.

The cylinder measures 25 m in height and has a diameter of 11.5 m. In the interior of the hollow body a double-decker lift transports up to 30 visitors to the top floor.

Ceiling and floor of the lift cars are illuminated and made of glass. In order to have a perfect view of the 1500 tropical fish, the glass walls and car ceiling are joined without any disturbing frame.
The aquarium holds 1 million litres of salt water. The trip through the submarine world becomes an extraordinary adventure.


Technical data:

1 Lift system
Rated load 3600 kg
4 Stops
Travel height 27 m
Hydraulic drive 1 : 1
Speed 0.30 m/s
Built in 2003

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