The lookout tower situated on top of Stellberg hill at the fringes of the national park ‘Schönbuch’ creates a new tourist attraction for the area. Its structure is comprised of eight timber masts, three circular viewing platforms, and two spiraled steel stairs, stabilized by a filigree exterior cable net made of stainless steel. The platforms are fastened to both the masts and the cable net. The timber masts consist of individual members arranged between the platforms that diverge towards the top of the structure to form a striking silhouette.
The glue-laminated timber used for the masts originates from the native larches of the nature park. The details have been carefully planned where the wood is exposed at the end grains and stair connections to help assure its longevity. Furthermore, the supports can be easily replaced to avoid cumbersome and expensive maintenance measures. By employing jacks, the mast elements between two platforms can be relieved from their load and replaced without any additional need to stay the tower. Another benefit is the easier transport of shorter mast segments.
Since the hill was created from a landfill, the foundation and settling behavior of the tower required special attention.
The tower’s innovative use of mass timber in combination with steel construction and thin cables facilitates an elegant and lightweight construction, making it a new landmark for the region.
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