A skyscraper almost as tall as London’s Shard has been built in the middle of a forest.
The huge twisting tower has been constructed in the middle of a forest in southwest Germany.
Set against quaint surroundings near the medieval town of Rottweil, the futuristic concrete structure looks like something out of a sci-fi film.
Instead of containing ultra-modern apartments, the 807 ft skyscraper is used to test lifts.
The TK Elevator Testturm has 12 shafts used to test different elevator systems, the Sun reports.
It is almost as tall as the Shard in London which measures 1,016 ft.
One Canada Square in Canary Wharf is 771 ft tall.
In Germany, only Frankfurt’s Commerzbank Tower (850 ft) and Messeturm (841 ft) trump the height of the lift test tower in Rottweil.
Interestingly, Frankfurt, in southwest Germany, is actually home to every one of Germany’s ten tallest building apart from the TK Elevator Testturm.
Germany’s tallest buildings
- Commerzbank Tower, Frankfurt – 850ft
- Messtrum, Frankfurt – 841ft
- TK Testturm, Rottweill – 807ft
- Four I, Frankfurt – 764ft
- Westendstrabe, Frankfurt – 682ft
- Main Tower, Frankfurt – 656ft
- Tower 185, Frankfurt – 656ft
- One, Frankfurt – 626ft
- Omniturm, Frankfurt – 623ft
- Trianon, Frankfurt – 610ft
The shafts inside the test tower – built in 2017 by the engineering firm TK Elevator – are used to test the next-generation lift technology, including high-speed models and groundbreaking Multi systems which can move vertically and horizontally.
While the futuristic tower is in sharp contrast with the surrounding countryside, it has found its place within the community and has become a popular tourist attraction.
Visitors flocking to the medieval town which was once part of the Swiss Confederacy can even enter parts of the facility.
It boasts a viewing platform at 761 ft with an unobstructed view of the Black Forest and the Swiss Alps in the south.
The test tower’s regular visitors also include engineers and architects from around the world to trial technology and future lift designs.
This includes the Multi system using magnetic levitation instead of traditional cables, enabling it to move in different directions. Engineers say this could reduce waiting times in skyscrapers and allow new designs.
The TK Testturm’s unusual twisted surface design reduces vibrations caused by wind.
At first, critics were sceptical of the tower being built in the middle of a picturesque forest.
However, residents have since welcomed the tower as part of the local areas and it now has partnerships with schools and engineering programs.
In other skyscraper-based news, just a couple of days ago, designers unveiled plans to build the world’s longest building in New York City.
The skyscraper, nicknamed ‘Big Bend’, would be 4000ft long and arc in a giant upside-down U, enabling the building to ‘overcome the limit of the skies.’
If built, ‘Big Bend’ would surpass Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by some 1000ft.
Plans were announced in Dubai last week for a brand new skyscraper though, set to be some 70ft taller than the Shard.
What’s peculiar about the building, is that, if built, the Muraba Veil apartment block would be 380 metres tall, by 22.5 metres wide – just one apartment block in width.
Plans are set to be finished by 2028.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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