Taking people to the top

New iconic skyscraper in Paris' business district La Defense to be equipped with exceptional thyssenkrupp Elevator solutions

The new tower will feature 12 TWIN elevator units, consisting of two independent cabins moving in each shaft©thyssenkrupp Elevator

Great news for all fans of the French capital: The Paris district "La Defense" will become home to a spectacular new skyscraper, featuring thyssenkrupp's unique TWIN elevators with two cabins instead of just one moving in the same shaft. thyssenkrupp Elevator will deliver twelve TWIN elevator systems, a technology that increases transport capacity and improves energy efficiency. Applying the TWIN frees up floor space, as this technology transports more people without increasing the number of elevator shafts. The new tower will also include another twelve conventional elevators and escalators.

With a height of 220 meters, Hekla Tower will rise into the sky and enlighten the metropolitan skyline with an architectural highlight. Designed by the renowned architect Jean Nouvel, the spectacular building will become an iconic feature in the redesign of the district – including a green footpath modelled on the famous High Line in New York City. The construction is scheduled for completion by 2022.

"The forward-looking concept of the TWIN solution played a decisive role in the development of the project, as it perfectly accommodates the tower's high standards and demanding transport capacity, without occupying additional floor-space with more elevator shafts," comments Peter Walker, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator. 

"The TWIN technology offers higher performance, safety and comfort, but also better energy efficiency. Sustainability is a priority in the comprehensively certified Hekla Tower." From the outset of project conversations, the participants on both sides attached great importance in responding to the individual requirements and wishes of architects and project managers.

Hekla Tower has a total of 66,000 sqm of office space capable of hosting around 5,800 people, more than 2,500 sqm of terrace space and a wide range of restaurants, a business center, a 250-seat hall and much more. Of course, the building meets the strict requirements of the HQE, LEED and BREEAM environmental certificates as well as the Effinergie+ and WELL standards.

thyssenkrupp Elevator is already providing outstanding urban mobility elsewhere in the heart of Europe: TWIN elevators operate in the high-rises D2 (Paris-La Defense), Odeon Tower (Montecarlo, Monaco) and Incity Tower (Lyon, France). A fourth installation - in the Trinity Tower in La Defense - has already been confirmed. This makes Hekla Tower the fifth building in the region to take passengers to the top with TWIN elevators.

The architects of the Hekla building were particularly impressed by the advanced TWIN concept. By 2022, the new elevators will be moving people in the building at a speed of 7m/s. During the construction phase, a thyssenkrupp shaft climber grows with the shell of the building and ensures rapid transportation of people during construction.

TWIN solutions will also provide lifts for other great projects at global hotspots by 2022. In the heart of Chengdu, a financial center of the central Chinese business district, Forte Financial Island IV is being built with two office towers, each 250 meters high. Here, a total of 24 TWIN elevators custom-made to the respective requirements of the towers are to be installed. Eight units each will reach maximum speeds of up to 2.5, 5 and 6 m/s respectively. 

The developer of the project, the Forte Group, is one of the largest of its kind in China and has completed numerous construction projects in Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing and Tianjin.

Source: thyssenkrupp / thyssenkrupp Elevator