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 are reducing travel time of 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 1000 kg ensured a speed of 60 m/min – for the first time in Sweden. Compared with conventional construction hoists, the 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.
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.