Project collaborators

The White Tower is the result of a close collaboration between the ETH Zurich, Conzett Bronzini Partner, Zindel United and the Nova Fundaziun Origen. The architects of the White Tower are Michael Hansmeyer and Prof. Dr Benjamin Dillenburger from the Department of Digital Building Technologies (DBT) of the Institute of Technology in Architecture at the ETH Zurich. Other ETH professorships from the National Centre of Competence in Research Digital Fabrication are also involved in the development: Prof. Dr Walter Kaufmann from the Institute of Structural Analysis and Design (CSBD) and Prof. Dr Robert Flatt from the Institute of Building Materials (PCBM). The Grisons-based engineering firm Conzett Bronzini Partner, winner of the Swiss Grand Prix Art/Prix Meret Oppenheim, is in particular responsible for the statics of the building. The Grisons construction company Zindel United and the constructor Nova Fundaziun Origen are responsible for the overall production.

Development

Dr. Giovanni Netzer, Intendant der Nova Fundaziun Origen
Team: Anja Diener, Rebecca Suenderhauf, Philipp Bühler, Torry Trautmann, Sandro Pirovino

Construction management

Invias

Structural Engineer

Conzett Bronzini Partner

Architecture

Prof. Dr. Benjamin Dillenburger, Digital Building Technologies (DBT),
Michael Hansmeyer
Team: Dr. Ana Anton (Research Lead), Eleni Skevaki, Che Wei Lin, Ming-Yang Wang, Lena Kitani, Su Huang, Dr. Konrad Graser (Project Coordination)

Structure

Prof. Dr. Walter Kaufmann, Institut für Baustatik u. Konstruktion (CSBD)
Team: Dr. Alejandro Giraldo Soto, Dr. Lukas Gebhard

Materials

Prof. Dr. Robert Flatt, Institut für Baustoffe (PCBM)
Team: Dr. Timothy Wangler, Dr. Lex Reiter

Geodesy

Prof. Dr. Andreas Wieser, Geosensors and Engineering Geodesy (GSEG)

Technicians / Robotic Fabrication Laboratory

Mike Lyrenmann, Philippe Fleischmann, Tobias Hartmann, Luca Petrus, Jonathan Leu

The Nova Fundaziun Origen

The Nova Fundaziun Origen was founded in 2005 by Giovanni Netzer. Origen is one of the largest cultural institutions in the canton of Grisons and has a wide-ranging portfolio. It employs around 250 artists and staff in 30 full-time positions every year. The foundation is involved in theatre, music, education, building culture, handicrafts, education and research. Origen is a host, revitalises dying villages and contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage in the mountain canton. The foundation and its founders have received numerous awards, including the Wakker Prize of the Swiss Heritage Society, the Grand Grisons Culture Prize and the Hans Reinhart Ring, the most important award in Swiss theatre life.

The ETH Zurich

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, ETH Zurich for short,
is a technical and scientific university in Zurich. It was founded in 1855 as the Swiss Federal Polytechnic, modelled on the École polytechnique in Paris. At ETH Zurich, students find an environment that encourages independent thinking and researchers a climate that inspires top performance. In the heart of Europe and with a worldwide network, ETH Zurich develops solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow. It is one of the most renowned universities in the world and regularly occupies top positions in university rankings.

The research for this project is conducted within the framework of the NCCR Digital Fabrication. It is supported from the Partnership Council for Sustainable Construction and Digital Fabrication and the ETH Foundation.

Researchgroups from the Departments of Architecture (D-ARCH) and Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG) from ETH Zurich are participating in research and development of the White Tower.