Three-star restaurant De Librije in Zwolle has a new glass roof over its courtyard. The roof of approximately 12 by 12 meter and is supported by a centrally placed tree structure that is surrounded by old masonry walls. As a result, significant asymmetric snow accumulation can occur on the glass.
The tree structure consists of three types of cylindrical steel profiles. The tree branches support a grid of steel profiles on which the glass panels rests. Along the edges, the roof is supported only in vertical direction on the existing brick walls through an edge beam and gutter brackets.
The existing brick walls cannot resist the horizontal forces created by the new glass roof. Therefore, the steel rectangular planes in the glass roof function as tension rings eliminating horizontal forces on the wall. This principle structurally utilizes the efficient dome shaped roof.
According to Thérèse Boer of the Librije: “It has been a big step for us to move to another building after 23 years and to renew the interior but the guests love it and logistics have improved enormously. The restaurant and kitchen now function as a whole. There is much more experience, emotion and oxygen”.
Three-star restaurant De Librije in Zwolle has received the Best Restyling award from Entrée Magazine on November30th, 2015.