New Build Construction
Alimak at work on Turning Torso - Europe´s tallest residential building, Sweden
When one of Europe’s largest residential towers, the 190 m high Turning Torso, advanced above its 15th-storey in Malmo, Sweden, the contractor changed the configuration of its twin Alimak hoists to high speed – the first in Sweden – to keep up with the pace of construction; reducing travel times by up to 50%.
Sweden’s first high speed hoists, two Alimak Scando 10/32 FC’s reduce travel time for passengers and materials by up to 50% on one of Europe’s largest residential towers located in Malmo.
The 190 m tall Turning Torso project is expected to ‘top-out’ by mid-October. Work started on the ground breaking of the 54-storey tower in February 2001 with construction following some four months later. The tower is situated in Malmo’s former western docks and is part of a massive regeneration project. It breaks new ground in architectural terms with the entire building turning through 90º over its height to provide a stunning building.
High speed hoists
In common with many projects in Sweden, two Alimak hoists had been installed by completion of the third floor for transportation of people and materials. By the 15th storey, the contractor specified for the hoists on rental from Altima Syd, to be reconfigured for high-speed operation to keep pace with construction.
Reducing the unit’s payload from 1600 kg to 1,000 kg ensured a speed of 60 m/min – for the first time in Sweden. Compared with conventional construction hoists, th,e units now provide a reduction of almost 50 % in transportation times.
"This type of hoist will become more common as buildings become higher and time schedules become shorter", said Carl G Wik, Alimak’s Area Manager for Scandinavia.
He continued, "The higher speed operation provides considerable savings in both time and money in relation to the transportation of men and materials."
Both hoists feature a cage size of 3.2 m height and 1.5 m wide. One of the two cages has been extended by 0.7 m to 3.9 m to allow transportation of the tower’s facade panels. Extending the cage allowed two facade panels to be transported in the hoist, each weighing up to 400 kg ; assisting lifting duties for the project’s ’in demand’ tower cranes – further improving the efficiency in movement of materials on-site.
With the unique shape of floors moving 1.6º on each level to provide a full 90º turn by the top of the tower, positioning of the Alimak hoists was critical to the successful transportation of the workforce and materials. The optimum position was therefore determined so as not to interfere with the ‘turning’ slabs. Nevertheless, the towers slight curvature presented tie-in and landings considerations.
The mast system is tied to the tower every 20 m on the bottom slab of each cube and scaffolding erected in front of the hoist cage. Throughout construction of the upper cubes, ties are installed every 6 m to offer additional resistance against the prevailing high winds.
Following the slight curvature on the face of the tower meant landings varying floor by floor from 1.2 m – 2.5 m across to the scaffolding. During progressive construction of the top two cubes, landings are made for each floor level to ease movement of materials. As the cubes progress, in order to improve transportation efficiency, landings are only made on the top floor of the lower cubes.
With the reconfiguration of the two Alimak hoists, journey times from ground to the 52nd-storey are being made in 2 minutes 45 seconds. By ‘topping-out’ the mast will have been extended to a height of 190 m.
Altima Rental
The Altima rental company has a nationwide fleet of some 200 construction hoists and 100 building cranes for its 39 depots across Sweden. In addition to the high speed units on the Turning Torso project, Altima’s southern depot currently has 25 Alimak construction hoists throughout its region.