The world’s tallest 3D-printed tower will be built in the Alps

In Switzerland, a team from ETH Zurich University intends to realize an ambitious project to build the world’s tallest 3D-printed structure. Nova Fundaziun Origen, a cultural institution, has become a participant in the project. At the moment, the builders are preparing the individual elements of the tower at a site near the village of Mühlens. It is expected that the height of the assembled structure will be 30 meters.

It is reported that the tower will have five floors, and for its construction, 102 columns of cement-like material will be printed on industrial printers. They will form the basis of a semi-open facade, protected from wind and weather by a removable membrane. Inside, visitors will have to climb a spiral staircase to reach a spacious hall at the top. It will be equipped with a cozy concert hall for 45 spectators with a view of the surrounding area.

The total printing time of the columns with the help of several robotic units will be about 900 hours. Representatives of ETH Zurich note that the design of the tower was made possible thanks to software capable of determining the geometry of structural elements with high accuracy. All the necessary data is sent directly to the robots performing the printing. This makes it possible to create non-standard parts for a specific order.

The method is different in that it reduces concrete consumption and has no waste – concrete is used only where it is needed, and no formwork is required to fill the molds with it. The white tower is planned to be dismantled and moved to a location where it will be more in demand once the performance and concert season is over.

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