White Tower / Studio Benjamin Dillenburger + Michael Hansmeyer

Project Description - Tor Alva ("The White Tower") is the world's tallest 3D-printed building in the Alpine village of Mulegns, Switzerland. Designed by Benjamin Dillenburger and Michael Hansmeyer for the Origen Cultural Foundation, the tower reimagines Mulegns' cultural legacy through architecture. It stands as a beacon in the village and functions as an immersive performance space. At the top of the White Tower is a cupola theater enveloped by a forest of filigree branching columns - a breathtaking venue above the village rooftops. With its spectacular architecture and ground-breaking technology, the tower demonstrates the possibilities that computational design and digital fabrication offer the fields of architecture and construction. These include not only economic and ecological advantages, but they allow for an elaborate non-standard architecture with a rich variety of forms. The project serves a dual purpose: to create a one-of-a-kind performance space that merges architecture, culture, and science, while also revitalizing a village confronting structural challenges. Additionally, it showcases the interdisciplinary research in architecture, structural engineering, and material science from ETH Zurich, advancing digital building practices that foster innovative, rich, and sustainable environments.