Digital craftsmanship

The White Tower of Mulegns is built directly on top of the historic carriage depot. The building consists of a total of six storeys, which become lighter and airier as one ascends to the top. In winter, the tower can be protected from wind and snow with a removable membrane. At dusk, the White Tower with its idiosyncratic openings appears like a lantern and becomes a beacon along the old JulierPass route.

Vitalising a mountain region

The White Tower has an entire range of positive side effects. It inspires the debate on digital forms of architecture that will arguably revolutionise the world of construction. With its contemporary presence, it symbolises the cosmopolitanism and pioneering spirit of Grisons’ pass villages. It supports gentle tourism that is deeply rooted in the history of the place. It creates solid jobs and will make a significant contribution to saving the village of Mulegns from extinction.

A multitude of functions

The White Tower contains a whole series of abstract, atmospherically dense rooms that are stacked on top of each other and designed as a vertical enfilade. It allows for various cultural uses and can be used for exhibitions, installations, concerts and other performative formats. The tower can be entered individually with a radio play in your ear. Confectionery stories naturally fit into the rooms. But you can also illustrate Dante’s Divina Commedia or the journey of Antoine de St Exupéry’s Little Prince with powerful spatial impressions.

Abstract aesthetics

The rooms themselves are very abstract. There is no specific furniture, beds or chairs, only strong atmospheres. The light falls from the stairwell into the inner rooms. The openings are designed to match the textures. The chambers can be very expressive and can demand a large space. The different structures enable strong spatial experiences and are held together by the unity of the material. Overall, the building, which will be made of white concrete, will appear delicate and light.

Cupola theatre for events

The high and bright theatre hall offers a generous view of the impressive alpine landscape and the village of Mulegns. This hall offers space for 45 visitors, who can watch small events under the tower dome: concerts with Rhaeto-Romanic songs, electronic compositions, author readings and contemporary choreographies. The roof construction consists of a central, vaulted roof and eight delicate dome beams.

Columns as a central design element

The tower consists of four storeys, each with eight columns. The central design element of the tower consists of a series of 32 branched columns, which are produced using the 3D printing process and support the different levels of the building and form the façade. In the lower zones, heavy, squat columns create narrow, imposing spaces. As you ascend the central spiral staircase, the space becomes noticeably lighter and airier.

Each column is decorated in two ways: with a horizontal material ornament derived from the concrete printing process, and with a superimposed spiralling texture that emphasises the height of the building. The light-coloured materials and striking structures enhance the architectural interplay of light and shadow.

Symbolism – homage to Grisons confectioners

As a tribute to the Grisons confectioners, the tower will revitalise the Val Surses and radiate internationally. The tower tells of the refined craftsmanship and tenacious pioneering spirit of Grisons emigrants. It is also a reminder of the tragedy and ambivalence of being an emigrant. Many emigrants were lost abroad, some died overseas or perished in the anonymity of the cities. Few succeeded in economic advancement. They all have one thing in common:

whenever possible, they returned to their homeland in old age. It was common for them to put their knowledge and wealth at the service of the community, constructing school buildings, mills and water pipes for the benefit of those who remained at home.

The White Tower is also a reminder of the hardship of the emigrants who once left their home village to earn their living abroad. Even today, the mountain villages are once again affected by the consequences of emigration. The tower installation carries on the legacy of the confectioners and master builders. A spirit of innovation and experimentation characterise the completely digitallymanufactured tower, which is due to open in the mountain village of Mulegns in June 2024.