Thursday Salute to Originals: Clever Cantilevering

Cantilevers are bold statements of architecture. Typically jutting from the side of a building, the cantilever can be used as the defining stroke of a façade design. Rarely do we see this motif employed in a natural setting. But even more unusual is to see cantilevers serving as the entire built structure itself, and in a form that can be experienced both vertically AND horizontally.

gravity-staircase-engineering-sculpture

When a wooden lookout post in Northern Belgium was destroyed in a vandalistic fire, a local engineering studio aimed to replace it with a timeless and robust monument.  That monument – the Vlooyberg Tower – now stands in its place. But this isn’t just your average homage to a beloved predecessor. This monument is a cantilever bluntly protruding diagonally from the ground, and serves as the entire built structure (not just one defining piece of a larger building).

vlooyberg-tower-belgian-landscape

In addition to acting as a sculptural beacon, this cantilever can be climbed as a staircase and experienced from the inside. At the top of this dramatic staircase, visitors can peer out of peepholes for a bird’s eye view over the landscape. Though simplistic in form and scale, this unique cantilevering monument is the result of calculated engineering by the team at Close to Bone.

weathered-steel-staircase-cantilever

cantilever-stairs-lookout-tower-belgium

weathered-metal-cantilever-staircase-engineering

The skin of pre-rusted metal panels acts as a protective mechanism against vandalism and gives a nod towards the ironstone found in the region. Railings double as structural beams and dampers prevent vibration from unsettling the visitors. Impressively, the staircase was installed in only ½ of a day –those shop drawings must have been ridiculously detailed to achieve such efficiency!

For a deceptively simple engineering feat, we salute the engineers at Close to Bone.  A bold form executed with clever fabrication methods has created a lasting legacy for the local community and architecture fans alike.

Source: Dezeen