Imagine a ‘wedding cake’ rising four storeys into the air, as the world’ tallest 3D printed structure inspired from local bakers! This is not a technological marvel debut in Silicon Valley or for millionaires to head to the slopes of Davos for a futuristic schmooze.
This is the story where visitors from all over Switzerland will zero in on Mulegns, a sleepy Swiss mountain village with a population headcount of over a ‘dozen’ individuals, to see Tor Alva, or White Tower, rising 24-metres into the Alpine blue skies, blending beautifully with the mountain landscape of the historic Julier Pass. 32 sculptured white concrete columns rise up four levels, becoming thinner and more branched, before fanning out in a tree-like shape to form the top dome.
Mulegns was given a new lease of life by Fundaziun Origen in collaboration with ETH Zurich – one of Europe’s finest technical universities – pioneering the construction project by celebrating arts and culture, offering space for art installations, music, and theatre performances. Post-modern architects Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger opted for additive manufacturing with industrial robots that apply layers of concrete into free-form elements without supportive casts.
The architectural marvel demonstrates the groundbreaking possibilities of computational design and digital fabrication using concrete extrusion that stands as a symbol and an instrument in the revival of the Swiss village threatened by depopulation.
Today, Tor Alva functions as a beacon both for the village and an immersive performance space, crowned by a cupola theatre enveloped in a forest, offering a breathtaking venue above the rustic rooftops.
The landmark venue is open daily for guided tours, and from July onwards will host staged performances.
