Titlis Tower: Steel Construction At A Height Of Over 300 Metres By Ruch Ongoing
In Engelberg, Obwalden, the Titlis Tower is a literally outstanding building designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Work began in summer 2023 and is expected to be completed in autumn 2025. RUCH is proud to be involved in this important project in a consortium with H. Wetter AG, Aepli Metallbau AG and Josef Meyer Stahl und Metall AG.
DELIVERY AND ASSEMBLY UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS
RUCH is responsible for the four access towers on the Titlis Tower. Two of the towers will be used to install lifts by Schindler, while the other two towers will house emergency staircases. These structures consist of steel support structures, each with four tubular supports and diagonal bracing. The steel support structures are closed on the inside with a glazed facade consisting of a tubular steel frame and a post-and-beam attachment system. The main materials used are therefore steel, aluminium and glass.
The extreme weather conditions at an altitude of over 3000 meters - strong winds, cold temperatures and snowfall as well as the intense sunlight - pose major challenges for the assembly team. Added to this is the logistical complexity, as the material has to be transported in tight spaces and over long and steep routes. Due to the tight space and weight restrictions (max. 2000 kg), a large number of transports have to be carried out. In total, 90 facade frames and 100 steel bundles have to be brought to Titlis. Planning and interface coordination with the lift builder and other trades under great time pressure present further challenges.
INNOVATIVE FACADE SOLUTION AND ASSEMBLY EFFICIENCY
The facade solution developed by RUCH significantly minimizes assembly times on site. This is particularly important in order to be able to carry out the work efficiently under the difficult high mountain conditions and still be able to offer a high level of quality. Thanks to the close cooperation with the Titlis mountain railways and the precise planning, the materials can be delivered to the valley station in good time and transported from there to the construction site.
Marc Erb, project manager at RUCH, is leading the challenging project. He describes it as a passion project in the mountains that is perfectly tailored to his two working environments as a mountain guide and metalworker and is highly complex. "These are exactly the projects we are looking for at RUCH. We love tackling challenges like this and finding solutions that are not always immediately obvious." RUCH is proud to be part of this extraordinary project and looks forward to the successful completion of the Titlis Tower in autumn 2025.
