The horizontal Forum forms a contrast to the vertical Towers. Towers have always been signs of power, be it in sacral (church towers, minarets) or secular architecture (castle keeps, forttified towers, etc.) - not to forget their erotic significance. Even in their half-open shape, the three Towers of Bienne follow the myth. Two of them are rectangular, the third is round and lightly tilted. The outer Tower contains the staircase. The Flag Tower is an art project (Inbetween) with old flags from all over Switzerland. The round Klangturm (Sound Tower) catches the noise of the Expo created by the wind, the water and the visitors: it is then turned into sound in the cocoon-type studio control cubicle suspended three meters above the ground, filling the entire acoustic space of the icon. The Klangturm thus serves as ear and musical instrument.

Arteplage
Biel-Bienne

The Towers in figures
Total steel weight: 370 t

Tower 1 
Floor plan: 10.00 x 10.00 m
Height: 38.00 m

Tower 2 (Klangturm)
Floor plan: 20.00 x 20.00 m
Height: 35.00 m

Tower 3
Floor plan: 10.00 x 10.00 m
Height: 42.70 m 

Concept, architecture and design
Coop Himmelb(l)au, Vienna, Austria www.coop-himmelblau.at
Wolf D. Prix (Project Manager)
Michael Volk (Project Partner)
Paul Kath (Project Architect)
Marc Paulin (Design Architect)
Gerhard Rieder (Project Coordination)
Wolfgang Leitgeb (Project Team)
Sigrid Steinweder (Project Team)

Engineering
SIB + Partner GmbH, Gümligen
SJB Kempter.Fitze AG, Frauenfeld www.sjb.ch

Lignting design
AIK expéditions Lumières (Yann Kersalé), Paris, France
Köhli & Partner, Zurich www.koehlipartner.ch

General contractor
Bâtigroup Generalunternehmung AG, Basel

Steel construction
Haslinger Stahlbau GmbH, Feldkirchen, Austria www.haslinger.co.at

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