Original use
Transportation and infrastructure/communication tower
Current use
Transportation and infrastructure/communication tower
Architects
Hans Borgström, Bengt Lindroos
Concrete by reinforcement
Concrete is a relatively brittle material that is strong in compression but less so in tension.
To increase its overall strength, steel rods, wires, mesh or cables may be embedded in concrete before it sets. This reinforcement, often known as rebar, resists tensile forces. By forming a strong bond, the two materials are able to resist a variety of applied forces, effectively acting as a single structural element .
Construction method
In this case, the concrete can be made by mixing the components directly on site, or it may be transported from a production plant in concrete-mixer trucks.
This method has the disadvantage of leaving the concrete exposed to the elements while it is setting. Whereas, with other methods, the environmental conditions can be controlled during setting, providing greater control over the outcome, with cast-in-place concrete a series of tests and protocols are necessary to verify its final strength.
Architectural concrete
- textured walls
- wooden formwork finish
- stamped concrete
- exposed aggregate concrete, colored concrete, etc.
Structural types
This element is characteristic of many industrial buildings from 1900 to 1950 in which large, flared support structures extend into disc-like capitals.
State of Conservation
Description
This 155-metre-high 34-story concrete tower is the main telecommunications antenna in the Stockholm area. It was built between 1964 and 1967 by the only radio and television station in the country at the time, in a peri-urban area called Kaknäs, surrounded by forests and known for its archaeological sites. From the outset, it drew tourists for the privileged views it offers over the Swedish capital and its archipelago.
The tower, built entirely in exposed concrete, is noteworthy for its articulation of geometric forms: a square-shaped shaft is twinned by a series of flat planes, with square floor plans rotated 45 degrees. The top section rises like a capital to house leisure programming, including a panoramic restaurant, making use of the tower beyond its function as an antenna. Although the tower is still fully operational, the public part of the program has remained closed since 2018.
A detailed look at the concrete finishes clearly shows the interior structure, delicately revealing, on the outside, the section of the beams that form the interior floors.
Sweden
Mörka Kroken 28-30
Stockholm (County), Södermanland and Uppland (Province) 115 27 Stockholm
Commission
1964
Completion
1967
Links