The World's Tallest 3D-Printed Tower Thrives In The Center Of This Charming Swiss Mountain Village

In the Albula Valley, buried among the Alps of southeast Switzerland, the tiny town of Mulegns now rests in the shadow of a ghostly white tower standing nearly 100-feet tall. The haunting presence of Tor Alva ("White Tower" in English) seems fitting for a village whose population once exceeded 100, but now has only 12 residents remaining, according to the official Tor Alva website. Once a popular stagecoach stop on the route from Zurich, one of Europe's prettiest medieval cities, to St. Moritz, one of Switzerland's prettiest and most iconic destinations, Mulegns is experiencing a movement, led by the Nova Fundaziun Origen, to breathe life back into its abandoned buildings. Tor Alva, which has been constructed using 3D printing methods, and built on the roof of the town's historic carriage depot, is just one part of their effort to revive the Graubünden region in which Mulegns is located.

Since the tower's unveiling in May 2025, it's been getting quite a buzz. Depending on who you speak to, it resembles either a layered cake, in honor of the many confectioners from Graubünden who brought their wealth home after earning success in the cities, Baroque architecture of its master builders, or filigree jewelry. Constructed by robots using material-efficient, intricately-printed layers of concrete meant to bear load, Tor Alva is a pioneering structure — the first of its kind. To date, no other 3D-printed material has been strong enough to be used in heavy-weighted construction. Its presence is bridging the gap between the past, present and future of architecture, and of Mulegns itself. And thanks to its makers' innovation in design, it's officially the tallest 3D-printed tower in the world.

The Nova Fundaziun Origen exists to regenerate local culture through performing arts, original handicrafts, and contemporary architecture. Since the 20th century, populations in the area have plummeted as birth rates decrease and younger inhabitants have moved to the cities for work. Origen funded Tor Alva's construction, requesting a vertical performance space that showcases the Alpine scenery of Graubünden, attracting more visitors — and thereby residents to support the influx of tourism.

The minds behind Tor Alva include Architect Michael Hansmeyer and Professor of Digital Building Technologies Benjamin Dillenburger of the Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich. Together with Professor of Physical Chemistry of Building Materials Robert Flatt, who invented the special new concrete used in the tower's construction, a method of design was implemented wherein robots could apply concrete to the columns in layers without use of casting molds, working faster than a human or human-operated machine ever could. It took them 900 hours to print a total of 32 individual columns in the lab, each ranging from 11 to 19 feet, and accented with its own unique ornamentation that can be seen when viewed up close.

The columns were then brought on site and the tower was screwed together in a matter of days (though not consecutive ones). The lightness of the concrete — which was layered rather than dried solid in casts — and the tower's dry construction sans plaster means it can just as easily be taken apart and moved to a new location to revitalize another town once Mulegns' lease on the tower runs out in five years. Overall, Tor Alva is a perfect example of reversible architecture, a sustainable practice that minimizes environmental impact. Its temporal nature and delicate, lattice-like design give it an even more ethereal presence among the once-abandoned buildings in its shadow.

Unless you feel confident braving the winding roads of Julier Pass from Zurich, opt for public transportation to get to Mulegns. The trip includes three connections — two trains and one bus ride: take the SBB from Zurich to Chur, then the Rhaetian Railway to Tiefencastel, and from there the Postbus to Mulegns. The entire journey costs as little as $75 and takes around four hours, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the Gelgia River's pastoral scenery in the shadow of Piz Platta, the tallest of the Oberhalbstein Alps. (And if you're choosing this method of transport, Rick Steves' has a brilliant luggage tip.)

Your visit may be best planned in summer, when guided tours will be offered twice daily, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The tallest floor of Tor Alva, which functions like an amphitheater on high, also hosts summer events for up to 32 guests — perfect for an intimate concert or author reading backdropped by the impressive mountain landscape.

Needless to say, conditions are also most ideal on the roads and for Alpine hiking in the summer. Both the river valley and mountains offer challenging but rewarding treks. And while choice of accommodation in Mulegns is currently limited to Origen's luxuriously restored Hotel Löwe and a rustic holiday home, you can find traditional inns and guesthouses in Savognin to the north and Surses to the south. The drive to each is only 10 minutes, and Tor Alva offers free shuttle service to either town when you book one of their tours.