Novartis Pharma, Rueil-Malmaison [FR]

EeStairs + Quadri Fiore Architecture + Jim Clemes Associates (Paris)

Novartis, one of the world’s major suppliers of pharmaceutical products, demanded a monumental staircase for their headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison, France. The design would have been significantly compromised if there had been even the smallest variation in the final geometry, or the surfaces of the FSC-certified wood veneer soffit. The contractors selected EeStairs because of our unique ability to fabricate steel and wooden elements in a single, quality-controlled production facility.

The 8-tonne staircase rises in a single helical curve which then straightens in a long cantilever which connects to the mezzanine level. The precision and strength of the structure meant that it required only two fixing-points – one at the base, and one where it joins the mezzanine structure. The staircase’s steel structure was made in four segments, which were erected in two days by the EeStairs site team.

The quality of the monumental staircase in the hall of the Novartis France headquarters, as we imagined and designed it, is a reflection of everyone’s collaboration in this success. And it is not just a question of the result but also of the process in which everyone, in their role and with their knowledge, has contributed, from the owner to the installers of EeStairs.” — Frédérique Renaudie, Architect, Jim Clemes Associates