Gustav Mahler Staircase Kassel

PROJECT DETAILS

Building Category

Culture

Gustav Mahler Staircase in Kassel – atmospheric and pioneering lighting

Just in time for the opening of documenta 15, the almost ten-meter-wide Gustav Mahler Staircase is once again freely accessible after a one-year renovation phase. With over 107 steps and several plateaus, it is the main connection between Karlsaue and the city centre.

The listed staircase was planned and built by Hans-Herbert Westphal in the 1960s. The main focus of the renovation was on preserving the concept of the building and the original exposed aggregate concrete material. “Recycle & Reuse” was the innovative approach to achieve a positive CO2 balance. Around 7000 panels and steps were removed, cleaned and reinstalled. New bands of contrasting concrete, a luminous handrail, and the new overall lighting round off the restoration and redesign of the ensemble.

In addition to new pole lights, our NauticProfil® Sta.-Maria-5 LED lines in the handrails, at the edges of the staircase, provide safety through functional, uniform illumination. Thanks to the high quality of light with low lumen output, our LED luminaires not only create an atmospheric ambience, but are also long-lasting and energy-saving – “pioneering” in the truest sense of the word.