The Alpine village of Mulegns officially unveiled the White Tower (Tor Alva), a striking architectural landmark now recognized as the tallest 3D-printed structure in the world.
ARCHITECTURE
Designed by Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger in collaboration with ETH Zurich and the Origen Cultural Foundation, the tower was revealed to the public in a dramatic ceremony where a helicopter removed its protective membrane in front of 300 guests.
Rising above the rooftops of Mulegns, the White Tower functions as both a cultural space and a research prototype. Visitors were invited to ascend its spiraling interior and explore a performance theater housed within the cupola, framed by a dense forest of 3D-printed columns. Each of the tower’s 32 columns is unique, designed using computational tools and produced with material-efficient concrete. The intricate, highly detailed ornamentation draws inspiration from the Baroque architecture of the region, while pushing forward the possibilities of digital fabrication.
At night, the tower transformed again, animated lighting turned the structure into a glowing beacon on the old Julier Pass, linking technological ambition with theatrical design.
Tor Alva is part of a broader initiative by the Origen Cultural Foundation to revitalize Mulegns through architecture and performance. The project reflects the convergence of cultural production and scientific research, with ETH Zurich using the tower to demonstrate new methods in digital building and sustainable construction.
Both architectural experiment and cultural venue, the White Tower represents a new kind of landmark, designed through code, built by machines, and open to the public.
Learn more about the world’s tallest 3D-Printed tower on our ArchiSCENE:
White Tower Unveiled in Mulegns as Tallest 3D-Printed Structure
