Introduction  -  What are  Panoramic Lifts?  -  Panoramic Feature ..  Design & Position  -  Speed and Capacity

Introduction

I would like to start this article with a request to the readers for some feedback or even better a discussion: “What do you think about panoramic lifts in shopping centres?”

The reason to encourage feedback and a discussion will become clear in this article. I am not convinced that panoramic lifts are very important for a shopping centre today. Some shopping centre experts, however, would not want to build any mall without a panoramic lift . "Elevator" and "Lift" are referring to the same mechanical device of moving things upwards - mostly vertically, though there are also "lifts" around that can move at angles or even side-ways.

What are a Panoramic Lifts?

A panoramic lift is a usually a fully glassed lift in a prominent location of any building on the inside or the outside. Panoramic lifts have featured in many films and are highly visible elements on the outside of the Lloyds building in London to name just one of many landmarks.

This is about the looks, the aesthetics, the beauty of a building.

While a plan has to be functional and is based on figures, facts and tenant requirements, the elevations are a matter of taste, perception, age, upbringing, fascination and in the end should appeal to thousands, even millions of shoppers eventually coming to the mall, the shopping and/or entertainment centre the department store, etc.

So, who should decide what a shopping centre should look like? Well, we shall leave this to be debated. Here or in one of the forums.

Let's just list those who will have a say in the matter:

Sections are defining the height of a building and each floor on the way up to the roof.

Mostly sections are the consequence of technical requirements:

1. clear heights needed by tenants
2. space for suspended ceilings, lighting, ducts, pipes, sprinklers, cables, etc.
3. structural heights of beams and floor slabs

4.1.2.1. Sections in Detail ....

Is Walmart's new logo really that good?

Tell me / us what you think -

the new one - from 2008

the old one from around 1992:

The key elements of the architectural design of a shopping centre include: