A new architectural gesture, recently unveiled, marks a disruptive landmark in the picturesque alpine landscape of Mulegns, Canton Graubünden, and a record in the building practice: it is Tor Alva, the “white tower” resulting from a collaboration between Origen Cultural Foundation and EHT Zurich that stands as a trigger to ignite new tourism and cultural energies in the area and, rising 30 meters in height, holds the world record for the tallest 3D printed tower in the world.

Beyond its vaguely expressionistic appearance, which will remind supporters of the plastic forms of Erich Mendelsohn's Einstein Tower in Potsdam (1922) and detractors of a liquefying wedding cake (in homage to the migratory history of Graubünden's pastry chefs who brought their delicacies from here to the world), the work's special features are its compositional and executive process entirely based on computational design and digital fabrication, and the fact that for the first time 3d printing involves structural elements and not just cladding.

The structure consists of 32 white concrete columns rising over four floors, tapering and branching like organic forms to form a domed arboreal canopy at the top housing a space for events and cultural activities.

The engineering innovation is notable: the tower was built through a 3D printing process that enabled the creation of complex structural elements without the use of traditional formwork; concrete was specially developed for the project to ensure maximum fluidity during printing and rapid solidification; and a robotic system inserted steel reinforcement rings ensuring the stability of the construction.

The possibility of disassembling and rebuilding the tower in other locations emphasizes a focus on environmental sustainability and the resilience of contemporary architecture: the work is expected to remain in Mulegns for about five years, and then be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere, perhaps taller, thanks to its modular construction technique.

Opening image: Origen Cultural Foundation, EHTZurich, Tor Alva, Mulegns, Switzerland 2025. Photo Birdviewpicture