New eye-catcher in the Thurauen

The timber-built observation tower in the Thurauen not only allows far-reaching observations of nature, but also offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Thurauen area. It is also an architectural eye-catcher in its own right! With a height of 15 m, it is probably the largest and certainly the tallest #hallowasser project to date. The tower was designed by Jan Hess as part of his master's thesis in civil engineering at ETH Zurich.

The tower impresses with its aesthetic integration into the Thurauen and its technical innovation. As part of the Timbatec team, Marcel Muster was responsible for the structural design. The connection of the inclined columns via a flexible, rotatable scaffolding clamp is particularly exciting from a technical point of view. This enabled us to find a uniform and easy-to-assemble solution for the lattice structure despite the different angles: stable, efficient and elegant.

The load-bearing structure of the tower is made up of crossed larch wood rods that are joined together to form a hyperbolic grid. This construction method ensures a high level of structural stability, supports targeted drainage and blends harmoniously into the natural floodplain landscape. Two viewing platforms at a height of eight and twelve meters offer impressive views of the Thur and the surrounding nature.

Two types of wood were used: larch for the exposed exterior structure, which is exposed to the elements, and spruce for the protected interior of the tower. The construction rests on a solid concrete foundation and is topped by an extensively greened roof - an ecological added value that creates additional habitat for insects.