Züblin Steel Construction Prize 2026

Züblin Steel Construction Prize 2026

Congratulations to our students Mariana Kalmykova and Daniel Zaharescu, who won 2nd place in the Züblin Steel Construction Prize 2026 with their "Pirouette House".

The work was supervised as part of the structural design course at the Chairs of Structural Design and Design and Construction I. The concept of the "Pirouette House" in Dresden-Hellerau follows the guiding principle of "architecture in motion": a precise vertical rotation of the storeys by 22.5 degrees each creates a sculptural, polygonal shape. This dynamic structure is based on an efficient steel radial supporting structure that uses a compression and tension ring principle to create column-free dance halls with spans of over 27 meters at the heart of the building.

The structural separation of the functional areas creates a central air space around the dance halls, in which two spiral staircases act as light channels and guide daylight deep into the interior. The design thus combines constructive precision with an atmospheric stage for the art of dance.