Tilia Tower: a new timber tower in Lausanne

By Editorial Staff - 26 January 2021

Danish practice 3XN joined forces with IttenBrechbühl to win the international competition for the design of a timber tower in Lausanne, Switzerland. Named Tilia Tower©, the new project by 3XN showcases this Danish firm’s ability to push its designs to the outer limits of architecture. The project involves the construction of an ambitious 280-foot (85 m) high timber tower, along with the transformation and renovation of two existing buildings.

“We’ve worked with the philosophy of making a building that respects the human scale by emphasizing its connection to nature and ensuring good daylight, which is so important for human wellbeing,” says Jan Ammundsen, architect and responsible senior partner for the Tilia Tower©. “Timber is a common theme throughout the project, adding a natural, warm, and robust look. It’s a fantastic building material and will add a fine tactile expression to the building. Tilia Tower© will be a bright, friendly, humane, and sustainable building.”

Conceived as a tower in the heart of Lausanne, when completed, Tilia Tower© will be a mixed-use building comprising apartments, shops, and a hotel. But it will also offer spaces that respond to contemporary needs, such as co-working and co-making, along with bars, restaurants, and cafes, all of which will contribute to the social development of the local neighborhood. All this is happening without neglecting the public spaces adjacent to the tower, which also form a part of this urban and social development project.

The choice of timber as the main construction material will play a major role in minimizing the impact on the environment during the construction of the tower. Another aspect aimed at lowering CO₂ emissions will be the creation of a large square, with adjoining green areas, directly in front of the new building.

With its distinctive façade, 3XN’s tower project will create a unique panorama for Lausanne. The apartments are designed as a series of single overlapping units, arranged to create a regular pattern that’s brought to life by a facetted appearance, giving a sense of dynamism and character to this unique timber tower.