Renovating a protected historical building: Mannheim Palace

Mannheim Palace has a storied history: construction of the Baroque residence according to plans by Jean Clemens Froimon began in 1720 and ended in 1760. For many years, the palace served as home to the electors of the Palatinate region; it was converted into a palace museum in 1926 after the end of the monarchy. The palace was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, and for many years rebuilding seemed impossible. However, the palace was rebuilt between 1957 and 1964. Since that time, this magnificent edifice has been used by the University of Mannheim and as the university library. Now, as part of a building renovation in line with historical preservation requirements, the entire area between the auditorium, connecting building and art tower has been renovated. The project began in 2016.

For Gessert, the focus of the project was on meeting current fire protection and accessibility requirements, which are particularly high in a public building like a university. Energy efficiency was also to be improved. As it had in many previous project, Gessert used high-performing products from GEZE for the doors. These not only meet all applicable statutory requirements, but are also simple to assemble and install. These advantages are essential especially in a complex and prestigious project like Mannheim Palace – and ultimately save time and costs as well.  

GASSERT GmbH, an established specialist manufacturer of doors and windows, was responsible for installing accessible emergency exits. Since the 1960s, the company has developed from a classic steel construction firm to work with highly specialised fire protection solutions and door automation. This makes GASSERT GmbH a competent partner for challenging construction projects – and for GEZE, which delivers the right products for this speciality area. The Gassert/GEZE team has already completed a range of projects together. Simple installation, high quality and outstanding service have impressed the installation company time and again. 
 

So it's no wonder that GASSERT GmbH decided to use GEZE products for the building renovation of Mannheim Palace - based on many years of trusting cooperation and the numerous advantages that these solutions offer. The decisive factors for Mannheim Palace were, above all:

• Technical adaptability: GEZE door systems are not only very narrow, but also enable custom colour designs that meet historical preservation requirements.
• Safety and functionality: IQ motor locks and panic locks have been integrated into the GEZE door systems, which fulfil high safety standards and meet the requirements for emergency exit safety.

Mr Arifi from GASSERT GmbH, who was responsible for the assembly and acceptance of the door systems, also emphasised that the intuitive handling of the products, including the user-friendly cable routing, made installation much easier.

The IQ lock EL electromechanical swing door lock was used on single-leaf doors with swing door drives. Thanks to the panic function, even locked emergency exits can be opened in the direction of escape at any time. With an opening time of less than one second, rapid evacuation is possible in an emergency. The divided cross latch prevents the bolt from jamming, even when pressure is applied to the door. This is particularly advantageous in high-traffic areas. In normal operation, the automatic self-locking feature ensures that the door is always correctly locked, which significantly increases security.
This combination of safety, functionality and user-friendliness make the panic lock the ideal choice for modern security solutions in public and commercial facilities, where both safety and a quick response in case of an emergency are of paramount importance. 

Mr Arifi also points out the simple installation and compact design: "With a small rear backset and reduced lock case dimensions, installation in various door frames is simple, which significantly increases flexibility in planning and implementation for us as fabricators."