The project deals with the design, planning and realisation of new balustrade elements for the Hotel Schatzalp in Davos, Switzerland. The hotel and former sanatorium is one of the early large-scale reinforced concrete buildings in Switzerland and is also internationally recognised. The existing wooden balustrade elements are in poor condition and no longer meet today’s safety requirements. The project focuses on the computer-aided design of balustrades (Gramazio Kohler Research) and their production using augmented reality technology (incon.ai, Künzli). Technology transfer is promoted through production at a local timber construction company.
Based on an already developed prototype, the project is being carried out in interdisciplinary cooperation between the Chair of Construction Heritage and Preservation, Gramazio Kohler Research, incon.ai, Künzli Davos AG and the Hotel Schatzalp.
An important aspect of the project is easy maintenance and repairability of the new balustrade elements. Both the balustrades themselves and each individual element can be dismantled, repaired or replaced if necessary without having to replace other elements. This is made possible by the use of screw connections and the avoidance of adhesives for joining.
Project duration
2021-2025 (completion expected at the end of summer 2025)
Project consortium
Professorship Langenberg, Construction Heritage and Preservation, ETH Zurich and Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich
Berghotel Schatzalp, Davos
Künzli Davos AG
incon.ai, Zurich
Other project partners
Design++, ETH Zurich
Project lead
Prof. Dr. Silke Langenberg, Prof. Fabio Gramazio, Prof. Matthias Kohler
Coordination
Orkun Kasap
Project team
Dr Petrus Aejmelaeus-Lindström (Lead), Rolf Imseng, Dr. Fabian Kastner, Gereon Siévi
Prototype Design
Carlos Wilkening (as part of the MAS ETH Digital Fabrication Master’s thesis, 2021)
Contact
Orkun Kasap (kasap@arch.ethz.ch)