A new district called Karlstaden is being developed in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the centrepiece will be Karlatornet, a dramatic 245 metre tall tower. The tower includes some unique design features and it also required specially adapted solutions from Peikko.
The new district of Karlastaden will include another eight blocks that are also being developed in collaboration with Serneke. In total, there will be 2,000 new homes, as well as shops, cafés, offices, a school and a health centre, which will form a modern and attractive new area with a big city feel.
A design with a twist
Karlatornet is being built by Serneke, who are both the developers and the construction company. In December 2020, real estate company Balder became partner and acquired 50% of Karlatornet. With 73 floors, the tower will be both Gothenburg’s first skyscraper and the tallest building in Scandinavia. It will be home to 611 delightful apartments, as well as a restaurant and sky bar on the 69th floor, which will give magnificent views of the city and surrounding area. The frame work will be completed in 2023 and the rest of the work will be completed in 2024.
In addition to its impressive height, Karlatornet also features distinctive and attractive twists in the structure from floors 38 to 58. To provide the stability and strength needed for this part of the design, two outriggers have been built, as well as belt walls. The first outrigger is on floors 12-13 and the second one is on floors 67-68. Both outriggers have belt walls that are 8 metres long and 6 metres high, and the wall for the first outrigger is 1.4 metres thick while the wall for the second outrigger is 0.6 metres thick.
Built on Peikko PSB® Punching Reinforcement
The tower is built upon a huge base plate that is 33 by 33 metres across and 3.75 metres thick. This connects 57 piles that are up to 65 metres deep and, to ensure the strongest possible results, the concrete for the base plate was poured in one continuous operation.
Peikko’s PSB® Punching Reinforcement system was a key part of the base plate construction. To meet the specific requirements of this exceptionally tall building, Peikko specially adapted PSB® for the customer and delivered it in a version 3.5 m long with a diameter of 32 mm. In all, Peikko delivered about 107 tons of PSB® Punching Reinforcement for construction of the base plate alone.
Peikko specially adapted their PSB® solution to meet the specific requirements of this exceptionally tall building.
Peikko solutions from top to bottom
Progress on the building site has been rapid and in the initial phase 400 m3 of concrete was used per week. Now that the foundations and base plate are completed, the construction is progressing at the rate of one floor per week. This involves 350 m3 of concrete per week for pillars, arches and the core, with 30 tons of reinforcement being used for the pillars and arches.
Peikko is also pleased to play a part in the current phase and we are supplying more, specially adapted PSB® solutions for the rest of the building, as well as WELDA® Anchor Plates with standard dimensions. Peikko products are well known for their quick and easy installation, and these qualities make it easier for Serneke to continue construction at the present pace.
Project facts
- Height: 245 m
- Floors: 73
- Developer and general contractor: Serneke
- Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
- Completion year: framework in 2023, remaining work in 2024