Klimer's atrium double-decker

Canada's Klimer Manufacturing has successfully completed a challenging atrium mast climber installation on the new Marriott Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US.

The glaziers, Antamex International, needed to glaze a 26 floor atrium, and required a 5.2 by 8.2 m trapezoidal–shaped work platform that fitted exactly the contours of the atrium.

It wasn't possible to use a more conventional, externally–mounted climber because of the inability to attach to the curtain wall system.

In addition to the main platform, a much narrower upper platform – 1.5 m wide and supported 2.9 m above the main platform – was installed at the outer edge of the main deck to allow glaziers to make the top connections for the 270 kg, 2.9 m high panels. A small traveling hoist to lift and horizontally position the panels was also installed on the platform.

Scheduling constraints meant that the glazing panels could not be stored on the upper floors, so the platform was loaded at the ground and raised with all the personnel and materials required for that shift The platform's capacity was 5450 kg plus five men, and maximum traveling speed was 9.1 m/min. One final requirement for the platform was four hydraulically propelled folding arms – one upper and one lower at each end of the platform, 2.4 m long and 0.9 m wide – to give access to the exterior 2.4 m wing walls.

The platforms were on site for five months, but the glazing component of the project was completed within eight weeks.