Philadelphia--Pennsylvania

custom floating steel stairway

Founded in 1984, KieranTimberlake brings together the talent of nearly 100 professionals of diverse backgrounds and experience in a practice that is recognized worldwide.

For the firm’s 63,000 ft² office, Zahner created a custom floating stairway. Connecting the entrance lobby and lab area with the office and meeting spaces, the painted red steel stairway is a feat of form and function.

Zahner manufactured the design using the Radius Reduction system to create a crisp, folded-edge along the center of the stairway ramp. Radius Reduction uses custom automation to produce deep grooves along the backside of metal. This precision cut allows for crisply folded edges, even in thick metal, and can be used to produce a range of geometric designs with highly accurate precision.

Related System

Radius Reduction™

Radius Reduction™ provides a distinct alternative to traditional brake-formed metal panels, resulting in a crisp, origami-like metal edge on architectural applications.

The design includes a clever handrail extension, meeting ADA requirements.

Related System

Staircase Systems

Zahner-manufactured custom staircase systems offer architects, designers, and artists more tools to push boundaries in the built environment with unique designs and innovative forms.

Second floor offices, showing the red-painted stairwell panels manufactured by Zahner.

The Philadelphia Theatre Company’s dynamic Marquee signage

Completed in 2007, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre was designed by KieranTimberlake and features signage manufactured by Zahner.

Named for the former actress, playwright, and director, Suzanne Roberts Theatre is part of the initiative to enhance Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. The building’s new marquee signage provides a striking statement about the quality of the arts program while maintaining the existing building and providing cover as an entrance soffit.

Related Project

Kieran Timberlake Office Stair

Suzanne Roberts Theatre in Philadelphia.

KieranTimberlake contracted Zahner to provide engineering and fabrication for the dynamic shape of the facade signage. Working through an intitial Design Assist phase, the project was developed for digital fabrication.

To produce the sculptural form, the marquee was engineered and fabricated using ZEPPS Technology, the Zahner system for building complex, curving sculptural forms. The technology enables fast installation, installed in just a few assemblies. Each assembly is made up of structural aluminum fins and ribs which are prefabricated in the Zahner facility offsite. These assemblies were then clad in a number of sheet metal skinned surfaces. KieranTimberlake worked with Zahner to select a iridescent stainless steel surface which provides the sign’s unique coloring.