World's Largest 3D Printed Structure
Construction has just begun on the Tor Alva, or the White Tower, the world’s largest 3-D printed tower. This structure demonstrates the power of digital manufacturing and computational design. In fact, it emphasizes the financial and environmental advantages of implementing the specific 3D-printing technology. A dedicated robot methodically extrudes concrete, crafting each layer at a height of 8mm. The White Tower employs 3D-printed concrete as a primary structural component, with steel reinforcement integrated during the robotic printing process. Eliminating the need for a traditional framework, this technique heralds a new era of architectural design possibilities using 3-D printing.
Standing at 30 meters, the White Tower is designed by architects Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger and printed with concrete by the technology university ETH Zurich. The design features 32 distinct Y-shaped columns, each boasting a pattern of textured details and 8 out of 32 structural columns have been completed. Nestled in the village of Mulegns in the Swiss Alps, the White Tower is designed as a venue for music and theater events.
The tower features five stories and various rooms, ranging from the larger and brighter areas at the top to the more private and quiet areas at the base. A spiral staircase leads visitors past colonnades and through these areas to the performance area at the summit, covered by an 8-meter-high dome. The design is expected to open to the public in the summer of 2024, offering a cultural center using cutting-edge architectural innovation.
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