CLIENT: Radisson Hotel Group and ES Group, London
DATE: Opened December 2008
LOCATION: Zurich, Switzerland
PROJECT TYPE: Architectural, Engineering, Lighting, HVAC
JEREMY THOM ROLE: Project Designer
Following the success of the Wine Tower in the Radisson Hotel at Stansted airport, a few miles north of London, which opened in 2004, the hotel group determined to build a new and improved version of the tower in their hotel at Zurich Airport, Switzerland, then under construction. The overall dimensions remained almost the same as at Stansted. A 16m (52’-6”) tall wine storage tower with capacity for 3840 bottles, staffed by flying wine waitresses (‘Angels’ – all trained aerialists in acrobatic harnesses) who ascend the tower’s four faces on sophisticated, remotely controlled hoists and collect the bottles of wine. Each face of the tower is constructed of clear acrylic wine cases, each 9m (30’) tall by 1.3m (4’-6”) wide, with cooled air, at specific temperatures, blown into the back of the white wine and champagne cases, whilst adjacent red wine cases are kept at room temperature by a redesigned and highly sophisticated air exchange system. Behind each wine case is an array of colour changing LED light sources. When a wine order is entered into the bar cash register a printout of the wine is output to the wine angels, who enter the bottle number on a touch screen. This controls both the hoist end position and also a custom lighting chase that ends with the chosen case being highlighted. The tower cap is a series of triangular fins, mounted onto an octagonal base, reminiscent of the spire of the famous Fraumuenster Church in Zurich