Fire safety

Anke Koenen, Fire Resistant Glazings,
SCHOTT Jena Glass, Jena, Germany

A Touch of Luxury

The central railroad station in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, has received a complete overhaul. “Pyran S” fire-resistant glass from SCHOTT was installed for fire safety.

Like the whole country, Kiev, a city of 2.6 million people on the Dnieper River, is characterized by contrasts and contradictions. Church towers of pure gold are juxtaposed with dreary buildings from the Soviet era. With investments of over $100 million, the showpiece railroad station was a priority project for the capital city and renovation was completed in eight months – three years ahead of schedule.

Steel and Glass Combined

Business travelers, vacationers, commuters and employees will feel at home in the renovated station. Architect Serhe Yunakov’s project involved building a new south terminal, refinishing worn-down surfaces and establishing a logistical network of tunnels and ramps. The outcome is impressive – a clean, modern combination of steel and glass. Yet the project specifications were by no means simple. The construction method is closely modeled on Western European standards, incorporating structural engineering solutions and taking into account the latest DIN construction physics standards.

Since the station is used by a large number of people it required strict safety standards, including heightened fire safety precautions. And as the station is a showpiece site for both city and national governments, emphasis was put on its appearance and punctual delivery of all materials. The project used five mm thick “Pyran S” with a 30 minute integrity classification. About 480 square meters of this fire-resistant glass from SCHOTT was used as a transom and in an internal partition wall. While accounting for safety factors, “Pyran S” also adds a touch of luxury in what has become Europe’s largest railroad station.