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Press release

PORR celebrates the topping out of the Franklinturm in Zurich

Zurich, 19.07.2022 – On Thursday, 14 July 2022, the topping-out ceremony for the future office building at Oerlikon station took place. PORR was commissioned by SBB Immobilien as the total contractor for the construction of the 80 m high tower. Construction work began about three years ago, and the tower reached its full height at the end of June 2022.

"The Franklinturm is an imposing high-rise building that is now unfolding its impact at a height of 80 metres," says Josef Pein, Interim CEO of PORR SUISSE. "It represents a real asset for the up-and-coming young neighborhood in the north of Zurich. We are proud to be able to celebrate a milestone with the completion of the shell."

The topping-out ceremony took place on the completed roof terrace on the 5th floor in the presence of representatives of SBB Immobilien, Armon Semadeni Architekten and the contractors. The highly complex building presented great challenges for all project participants, especially in the civil engineering and shell construction work. After three years of construction, the completion of the shell was now appropriately celebrated. "The main focus of the topping-out ceremony is on the contractors and especially on all the craftsmen involved in the construction who, regardless of weather conditions, carry out the technically demanding work to the required quality whilst respecting tight deadlines", describes Nicolai Mitt, overall project manager at PORR SUISSE. "And accident-free - that's the most important thing!"

Impressive architecture and energy efficiency

As a modern service centre in the Zurich-Oerlikon district, the Franklinturm impresses with its imposing architecture and 21 upper floors, some of which tower above the railway tracks. The cantilever directly influences the statics of the tower. Vertical prestressing brings it back into balance and ensures that the tower does not look as if it is "tilting". Steel trusses integrated into concrete walls and an extremely complex reinforcement system complete the building structure.

The Franklinturm is also pioneering in terms of its energy efficiency; which corresponds to the "DGNB Platinum" label of the Swiss Sustainable Building Council (SGNI). Its economic efficiency is reflected in the optimal room layout.

PORR SUISSE already used BIM (Building Information Modelling) in the acquisition phase for simulations of the construction process and scheduling. Based on 2D plans, the BIM model was created in cooperation with the construction company using an interface for the purposes of construction. Data could also be used by the master builders, for example for work preparation.

Facts and figures at a glance

Type of project: Building construction, office and commercial construction
Scope of services: Building an 80m tower with 21 storeys above ground as offices and commercial space
Client: SBB AG
Contractor: PORR SUISSE AG
Project duration: around 3.5 years
Contract volume: around EUR 75m (approx. CHF 80m)
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Nadine Bieri Press spokeswoman