A tower aims to raise the population — not just the roof.
In Mulegns, Switzerland — where the local headcount hovers around a dozen — a towering new arrival is making noise in the best possible way.
Tor Alva, or the White Tower, now rises nearly 100 feet above the rooftops, a gleaming 3D-printed beacon of architectural ambition in a village teetering on the edge of extinction.
In the tiny Swiss village of Mulegns, population roughly a dozen, a futuristic marvel now rises among centuries-old cottages. Hansmeyer/Dillenburger
Tor Alva, or the White Tower is the world’s tallest 3D-printed building at nearly 100 feet high. AP
The intricate forms echo both the delicacy of filigree jewelry and the tiered presentation of confections — a nod to the region’s 19th-century emigrant pastry chefs who once brought prosperity back to this alpine valley. CheWei Lin
Unveiled in May, the column-wrapped tower is officially the tallest 3D-printed building in the world. It won’t house any residents, but it will lure visitors to the town, something that’s sorely needed locally.
But its true purpose reaches beyond records: reviving a town whose population has plummeted from 140 in 1900 to barely enough to field a soccer team today.
The tower was created by the Origen Cultural Foundation in collaboration with ETH Zurich, and assembled on the site of a former blacksmith’s shop.
In New York City, 100 feet in height typically is around 10 stories. AP
Created by the Origen Cultural Foundation and ETH Zurich using 32 intricately ornamented columns printed with a custom concrete mix, the tower showcases the cutting edge of digital fabrication. Salvatore di Pino
A shot of the columns. R. Masallam
Its elements were then transported and assembled atop a former blacksmith’s shop in the center of the village. E. SkevakiIts 32 sculptural columns were robotically printed on ETH’s campus near Zurich using a custom concrete blend designed by Professor Robert Flatt to set fast while retaining delicate architectural detail.
The structure, meant to evoke both filigree jewelry and the layered elegance of a confectioner’s cake, was designed with cultural symbolism in mind — an homage to the pastry chefs who once emigrated from the region and brought prosperity home with them.
“It inspires the building sector, encourages sustainable tourism and offers new cultural space,” Giovanni Netzer, founder of the Origen Cultural Foundation, said in the ETH Zurich press release.
He called the project “a technical triumph.”
Giovanni Netzer, founder of the Origen Cultural Foundation and the project’s artistic director, called the tower “a technical triumph.” Hansmeyer/Dillenburger
Inside is a 32-seat cupola theatre with sweeping mountain views, set to host performances beginning in July. Hansmeyer/Dillenburger
Unveiled on May 20 and open daily for tours, the project symbolizes a bold intersection of architecture, science and sustainability. Nijat Mahamaliyev
Once home to about 140 residents in 1900, Mulegns has seen its population steadily decline — to 50 by 1980 and just over a dozen today. Benjamin HoferInside the tower is a 32-seat cupola theater with sweeping views of the surrounding alpine landscape. Daily guided tours are now open to visitors, and theatrical performances will begin in July.
The tower’s arrival marks a dramatic intervention in the fate of Mulegns, where the population fell to 50 by 1980.
According to the project’s website, Tor Alva aims to “breathe new life into a historic community while setting a global standard for sustainable, culturally vibrant development.”
ETH Zurich experts say the project represents a “symbiosis” of architecture, culture and science.
Though the cost of the project hasn’t been publicly disclosed, similar large-scale 3D printing efforts have exceeded 1 million Swiss Francs (roughly $1.1 million), according to construction platform Concrete Connect. Birdviewpicture
After five years, the tower will be relocated to boost another declining community — but hopes are high it will have already helped breathe new life into Mulegns. Hansmeyer/Dillenburger
The tower alight at night. CheWei Lin“The use of 3D printing enables a bold, non-standard approach to architecture,” they said, “offering an extraordinary range of shapes and forms.”
While the cost of the tower hasn’t been disclosed, similar large-scale printed structures have exceeded about $1.1 million, according to Concrete Connect.
Mulegns won’t host the tower forever — Tor Alva is set to be dismantled and relocated to another village in 2030.
But local leaders hope that by then, the attention, tourism, and investment it brings will have helped Mulegns regain not just visitors, but residents.
