Europe's tallest skyscraper, the 7132 Tower, is all set to be built in a most unusual location -- a tiny Swiss village with a population of about a thousand people. Plans for this thin, mirrored skyscraper were unveiled by Californian firm Morphosis. The building is envisioned in the village of Vals, which in addition to being a tiny village also happens to be the site of a luxury resort.
The skyscraper will be so slim that there will only be one room on each floor, so I'm hoping the elevators will be really, really fast. A floorspace of nearly 50,000 square meters is split between 107 guest rooms and suites as well as a variety of plush amenities including a ballroom, pool, fitness suite and luxury spas.
We tend to think of skyscrapers as strictly belonging in urban environs, so it'll be fascinating to see how this one looks in an idyllic hilly village.
What's Driving This Trend
- Vertical Luxury
- Luxury resorts and hotels are experimenting with vertical building structures to provide guests with unique experiences.
- Rural Urbanism
- Developers are exploring opportunities to bring urban conveniences to rural settings, create new tourism destinations, and boost local economies.
- Micro-architecture
- Designers are downsizing the scale of architecture, creating more efficient and innovative use of spaces in constrained areas.
Who This Affects Most
- Hospitality
- Luxury hoteliers can explore opportunities to pioneer new types of immersive and remote luxury experiences that transform the rural tourism industry.
- Real Estate
- Developers and architects exploring new structures, such as vertical villages, can build more efficient and eco-friendly structures that house more residents and boost profitability.
- Design
- Architects and designers can innovate in building with limited land plots to unlock new possibilities for compact and efficient living while preserving natural landscapes and traditions.
