When most people picture the Swiss Alps, the landscape they see is certainly not made up of tall, glass-fronted skyscrapers, but rather an idyllic image of snow-capped mountains, endless plains and delicious milk chocolate. That, however, may soon become a thing of the past, as one of the tallest buildings in the world is about to be built in a small local village.
The ‘7132 Tower’, which should be the tallest hotel in the world when finished in 2019, might just become an unlikely tourist attraction for the quaint mountain village, thanks to its 381 meters (or 1,250 feet), which will make it as tall as the Empire State Building and the tallest construction in Western Europe.
While it might ruin local postcard pictures, the luxury hotel and spa will have an incredible and unrivaled view of the snowy and breathtaking Alps, especially on the top of the tower.
On the other hand, it will also easily dwarf Vals, the quintessential Southern Swiss village whose postcode inspired the tower’s name, something which is predictably causing some commotion and controversy, as even the selection panel for the tower’s design feels that the end product might not have the right appearance and size to fit in among the snowy mountains, even if the architect behind the project says otherwise.
The new hotel was commissioned by the owners of the luxurious Therme Vals spa, which accommodates 1000 guests – ironically the same number of Vals inhabitants – for a mere $250 a night.
They have high hopes for the new hotel, which is said to feature a minimalist design and offer guests a mirrored view, as they plan on having 107 rooms for guests, restaurants, a ballroom and other leisure as well as business facilities and it should, in their opinion, become one of the five best hotels in the world – which is to say it will be very exclusive and pricey.
Whether this vision will come true or not, however, is still to be seen, as local authorities are said to be planning on having a public vote – which will likely not be favorable – on this matter.
Must be a late April-joke !
It would be an abomination of the countryside...Keep tall buildings in cities only ! Bad bad idea!