Skywalk Leuchtenburg
CUSTOMER
Client: RSB Rudolstädter Systembau
Photos: RSB Rudolstädter Systembau
Owner: Stiftung Leuchtenburg
PROJECT
CHALLENGES
Perched on a slope at Leuchtenburg near Kahla, the Skywalk offers breathtaking views from the Harz mountains to the Thuringian Forest.
This 20-meter-long platform, elevated 25 meters above the ground, is made of hot-dip galvanized and coated steel elements. Prefabricated parts were lifted by crane to their final position on the cliff edge and assembled directly on site – a mounting operation as dramatic as the view itself.
Challenges
• Unconventional support structure: The Skywalk is carried from the center by asymmetrically placed columns that appear to float freely in space – a unique structural design.
• Complex mix of materials and systems: The structure combines steel, fiber cement panels, glass, and grating systems. These were all modeled in bocad for precise positioning, ordering, and drawing derivation.
• Geometrically demanding connections: Connecting the staircases to the platform and to the handrails over kinks and slopes required precise alignment and detailing.
ADVANTAGES
The complexity and modularity of the Skywalk design were perfectly supported by bocad’s advanced features:
• Color-coded elements and line types: Differentiation between primary and secondary structures was achieved through color schemes and line styles, simplifying coordination.
• Subsystem logic: Dividing the project into construction subsystems – such as coatings, assembly sequences, or installation steps – ensured full control and clarity at every phase.
• Data basis for follow-up processes: The models served as a reliable basis for generating bills of materials, installation plans, and fabrication drawings.