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001194
2021-01-18

Renovation of Existing Water Tower into Office Building, Czech Republic

In 1936, a water tower holding 211,000 US gallons was built in Kladno-Rozdělov, Czech Republic. The existing and new supporting steel structures were repurposed as the new administrative building of VKM a.s.

Water Tower Structure

The water tower has a cylindrical shape with a slender lower portion and a wider upper portion where the water tank was previously located. The total height of the water tower is about 135 ft, which includes the 82-foot-tall shaft. Below the tank is an auxiliary floor separating the inner space of the tower into two parts. The basement is located under the tower.

The water tower’s supporting steel structure includes hot-rolled steel sections. The structure shaft consists of eight main columns arranged in a regular 34-foot-diameter octagon with lateral cross-bracing members. In the center, there is a steel staircase with main and quarter landings.

The steel tower’s upper portion consists of eight main columns arranged in a regular 39-foot-diameter octagon, including cross-bracing. In addition, the steel structure incorporates the auxiliary floor beams, a roof, and windows. The steel tank was placed in the area between the columns.

Description of the Renovation 

The existing eight main steel columns were preserved, including the ground to 4th floor intermediate diagonal bracing. All existing steel elements from the 4th floor and above were removed.

New columns were added above the existing columns from the 4th floor to the roof elevation. Between the 4th and 5th floors, the columns slope outward from the center, while the columns from the 5th floor up to the roof level are vertical.

The remaining existing structure is complemented by a communication center in the shaft space consisting of eight columns connected by horizontal and diagonal bracing. The communication center has a rectangular floor plan (17.3 ft x 9.1 ft) running from the basement up to the bottom of the 6th floor (the viewing platform).

Two new full floors (the 2nd and 3rd floors) were created inside the tower shaft. Above the shaft in the former building’s tank area, two full floors (the 4th and 5th floors) and one partial floor (the 6th floor) were added.

The horizontal floors from the 2nd floor and up act as rigid frames fixed to the core and the main columns. The individual floors have a circular shape, including the 36-foot-diameter shaft floors and 48-foot-diameter former tank floors.

The top (6th) floor includes recessed windowsills with panoramic windows covered by a conical roof with a skylight. The roof’s supporting structure and skylight consist of symmetrical radial rafters and circumferential steel beams.
Location U Vodojemu, Kladno-Rozdělov
Structural Design Ing. Pavel Korejčík
Ing. Jan Mařík, Ph.D.
Ing. Jan Seifert


Project Specifications

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