Project Name: TITLIS Tower

Location: Mount Titlis, Switzerland

Design Team: Herzog & de Meuron

Building Area: 3,950 m²

Completion Year: 2026 Image

Copyright: Herzog & de Meuron

Design Features: Herzog & de Meuron has transformed a decommissioned Swiss Army antenna tower into a dramatic alpine landmark perched at over 3,000 metres above sea level on Mount Titlis, Switzerland.

Completed in 2026, the TITLIS Tower marks a decisive shift in the thinking behind high-altitude infrastructure, moving away from purely utilitarian structures towards a considered architectural statement within one of Switzerland's most visited mountain destinations. The project began in 2017 when Titlis Bergbahnen commissioned the Basel-based practice to rethink the summit's ageing visitor facilities as part of a broader masterplan for the entire peak.

Rather than demolishing the 56-metre steel telecommunications tower erected in the mid-1980s, Herzog & de Meuron took a resource-conscious approach, retaining its expressive filigree steel framework and anchored concrete base as the structural and conceptual spine of the new design. Two fully glazed horizontal volumes were introduced to the tower in a cross-shaped arrangement, extending as far-reaching cantilevers that project dramatically into the alpine sky. The external load-bearing structure keeps the interiors of both volumes entirely column-free, maximising the unobstructed panoramic views afforded by the extraordinary site. The lower volume houses a retail area, while the upper contains a 140-seat restaurant clad entirely in warm timber, forming a deliberate contrast to the raw materiality of steel, concrete, and glass that defines the rest of the building.

A publicly accessible viewing platform crowns the composition, offering a full 360-degree panorama across the glacial landscape to the south and the Swiss Plateau to the north. Connecting the tower to the existing mountain station below, an underground tunnel lined in reflective steel guides visitors through the rock before opening into a cavern-like hall, where large-format LED screens assist with orientation ahead of the ascent.

With a total height of 75 metres and a gross floor area of approximately 3,950 square metres, the TITLIS Tower sets a new benchmark for alpine architecture, one where ecological responsibility and architectural ambition converge at altitude.

Design Team: Founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, Herzog & de Meuron is an internationally renowned architectural practice headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. The firm is led by its founding partners alongside a team of senior partners and associates, with studios operating across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. In 2001, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron were awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, widely regarded as the highest distinction in the discipline.

With a portfolio of over 600 completed and ongoing projects across 40 countries, the practice operates across a broad typological range, from cultural institutions and residential buildings to urban masterplans and infrastructure. Notable built works include the Tate Modern in London, Allianz Arena in Munich, the National Stadium in Beijing, and 56 Leonard Street in New York.

The practice employs more than 500 professionals from over 50 countries, bringing diverse expertise to each commission. Herzog & de Meuron approaches every project without preconceptions, prioritizing site-specific responses, material innovation, and the careful integration of architecture within its broader social and urban context. The firm consistently engages collaboratively with specialists across disciplines, addressing the complex and evolving demands of the contemporary built environment.