During an inspection of the free-standing and highest hydraulic Emch outdoor lift at the Historical Museum in Bern's Kirchenfeld district, architect Frank Geiser speaks highly of the project and its realisation. The glass front building is opened in the same
In the same year, in the presence of the cantonal building authorities, the glass front building was awarded the ATU Prize (Architecture, Technology, Environment) sponsored by the SIA for its interesting aesthetic, technical and energy-saving design.
A major advantage of using the pulling cylinder is that it can be used for high delivery heights. The idea of architect Frank Geiser's idea of creating something new in old surroundings can be realised with a glass extension in the museum courtyard. A steel column in half-timbered construction is to be independent, detached from the extension, anchored only in the ground in the centre of the courtyard and connected to the building at the top in the roof area via a steel bridge framed with glass. The glazed cabin is to be located between the extension and the steel column and serve the courtyard and all floors, including the top floor. The counterweight moving on the courtyard side of the column is connected to the cabin with the steel wire ropes via two huge-looking cast steel pulleys mounted on top of the steel column. The maximum lifting height that can be reached via the last stop is reached with the ‘golden key’ via a key switch mounted in the cabin control panel. As the wide-span car can swivel several millimetres on the less torsionally rigid steel support in the area of the landing doors and the correct coupling of the car and landing doors is therefore not guaranteed, the coupling is dispensed with and each landing door is equipped with an individual door drive. As the motorised car door eliminates the need to mechanically ensure that the landing door can be opened, safety must be provided electrically, i.e. no open landing door when the car is not present.