On the outskirts of the medieval town of Rottweil in southeast Germany stands an 800-foot skyscraper, surrounded by the Black Forest. Considered to be one of the tallest buildings in the country, the skyscraper wasn’t built to house people or to be filled with rows of desks. Instead, it was erected to test elevators. Built in 2017, the TK Elevator Testturn is home to 12 shafts where next-generation elevators are being tested. It’s currently testing TK Elevator’s MULTI system, which uses magnetic levitation to pull elevator cars horizontally as well as vertically quickly and smoothly. The feature is intended to reduce elevator waiting times in high-rise buildings. The building also has a facade designed to minimize vibrations triggered by wind. It receives visits from engineers and architects from around the world anxious to test out their cutting-edge designs, and locals consider the tower to be a cultural landmark. The structure features a 761-foot viewing platform that allows visitors to soak up breathtaking views of the surrounding forest and the Swiss Alps.
