It has an unusual form. The water tower in Luxembourg was designed by TEMPERATURAS EXTREMAS architects. The building is located in a Natura 2000 site, so its form could not interfere with the forest creatures. In order to respect their presence, the architects designed the tower in such a way that it could become a refuge for small animals.
The tower’s existence is linked to the need to supply drinking water to the residents of the Kirchberg district. The reservoir is 50 m high and can hold a total of 1,000 m3 of water. When working on the project, the architects analysed the conditions in the Natura 2000 area and designed a refuge not only for local birds, but also for seasonal species.
The project consists of two parts. By building two cylindrical tanks at different heights, the visual mass of the tower was reduced. The first part is distinguished by a rough, precast concrete shell in which swallows’ nests are installed at different heights. A nest for peregrine falcons was built on top. Both materials and design solutions were consulted with naturalists and ornithologists.
The second part of the structure is covered with cork, which acts as a thermal insulation layer for the water tank. A second permeable shell of untreated larch wood is built over this element. This wooden shell facilitates nesting for seasonal species, and bat nests are placed on top of it. The ground floor of the facility has been surrounded by metal fencing to protect the strategic infrastructure from animal intrusion.
Eventually, the wooden covering will be covered with vegetation, which will mask the existence of the water tower and blend it into the landscape. In the future, the water tower will become a kind of tree that provides shelter.
Temperaturas Extremas won the water tower design competition in 2016, organised by the Kirchberg Foundation on behalf of the City of Luxembourg.
project: TEMPERATURAS EXTREMAS
team: Atxu Amann, Andrés Cánovas, Nicolás Maruri
photography: Miguel Fernández-Galiano
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