Swissmill Tower
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Swissmill Tower | |
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General information | |
Type | grain elevator |
Location | Zürich-Hard, Canton of Zürich, Switzerland |
Coordinates | 47°23′10″N 8°31′02″E / 47.3860°N 8.5172°E |
Construction started | May 2013 |
Completed | April 2016 |
Owner | Coop Schweiz |
Height | |
Roof | 118 metres (387 ft) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Miriam Vázquez, Studio Forma, Zürich[1] |
Main contractor | Implenia |
The Swissmill Tower, also known as Kornhaus, is a high-rise building in Zürich-Hard. At 118 metres (387 ft), it is the second tallest building in the Swiss city of Zürich and the tallest grain elevator in the world.
History and brief description
The building is situated in the upper Limmat Valley in Zürich, near the Migros Tower building at the Limmatplatz. It replaced a former grain elevator due to voter requirements for a larger one.[2] The first mill (Kornhaus) was built in 1843 in the same place.
The site demanded piles basing up to a depth of 45 metres (148 ft) in the bedrock of the Limmat Valley. The increase of its height to 118 metres (387 ft) was done by slipforming by up to 60 construction workers who processed concrete in three shifts around the clock. The construction was divided into two stages; the first construction phase was completed in early July 2015, the second began on 21 September 2015, and ended in April 2016.[3] Mill operations were maintained while construction was carried out.
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Location of the Swissmill Tower in the upper Limmat Valley as seen from Käferberg
Significance
At 118 metres (387 ft), the Swissmill Tower is the tallest operating grain elevator in the world. The second tallest silo, the Schapfen Mill Tower is 125 metres (410 ft) tall including the antenna, however it is shorter from ground to the top edge of the building, only 116 metres (381 ft).[3] The record for the tallest grain elevator ever existed goes to the 119.5 metre (392 ft) tall Henninger Turm, which was demolished in 2013.[4]
Swissmill is the largest mill in Switzerland, operating 800 tons of grain daily. This represents 30% of the Swiss national grain requirements. It prepares flour for all bread products produced by the Swiss retailer Coop, Volg and Landis.[3] Although the silo's exterior and height are criticized, the municipal authorities claim that the silo was intentionally designed in that way. Its external appearance is intended to express its interior – an industrial plant.[5]
In July 2016, once more local Zürich politicians demand to cover the tower's exterior with plants, to remake its facade creatively. Architect Miriam Vázquez made this suggestion during the planning phase, but it would be unaffordable, according to her calculations. About 2,000 to 4,000 Swiss Francs would have to be spent per square meter.[1]
References
- ^ a b Florian Niedermann (27 April 2016). "Grünliberale fordern: Der «Schandfleck» soll begrünt werden" (in German). Limmattaler Zeitung. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ "Das neue Getreidesilo" (in German). swissmill.ch. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ a b c Ennio Leanza (15 September 2015). "Dubai und Schanghai können einpacken: In Zürich steht der höchste Kornspeicher der Welt 🍞 Mehl für JEDES DRITTE Brot der Schweiz" (in German). watson.ch. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
- ^ Claus-Jürgen Göpfert (13 March 2012). "Henninger Turm wird abgerissen" (in German). fr.de. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Florian Niedermann (27 April 2016). "Der Swissmill-Tower spaltet Zürich" (in German). Limmattaler Zeitung. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
External links