Lookout Tower on Pyramidenkogel, Austria

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Timber Lookout Tower

The spiral shape, being a symbol of growth and development, was the choice of the Austrian architects Klaura + Kaden.

Another highlight of the tower is Europe's highest roofed slide, with a height of almost 170.6 ft. It is built inside the structure. Riders can reach a velocity of up to 15.5 mph.

The structural analysis of this extraordinary building was created by the engineering office of LACKNER + RAML using RSTAB.

Tower Structure

The structure of the lookout tower is composed of a spatial framework. An essential component of the main structural system is the frame structure consisting of 16 curved larch wood columns with a cross‑section of 12.60/56.69 inches. Ten elliptical steel rings with a box section of 173.23/63 inches connect the columns. The vertical spacing between the rings is 20.9 ft.

The third supporting component of the tower building is based on eight diagonal strands. The diagonals are steel tubes running from the tower base to the steeple.

Visitors can access the platforms using either the transparent panoramic lift or one of the two staircases. The loads of the tower's upper levels and of the tower top are transferred onto the eighth level. Two girders are arranged there with supporting cables, absorbing these loads and transferring them to the columns.

The "Skybox", a closed and sheltered building unit, lies between the eighth and ninth levels. The open viewing platforms are above.

The time needed for constructing the tower on the Pyramidenkogel was only eight months.