Inauguration of new water tower in the Ban de Gasperich; Credit: Ville de Luxembourg

On Tuesday 20 March 2018, the new water tower serving the Ban de Gasperich was inaugurated; it had been constructed at a total cost of €8,717,453.87, paid for by Luxembourg ville.

The new district Ban de Gasperich is in full development and the population continues to grow with the many projects (offices, shops, housing, hospitality) that are being realised there. In order to ensure the viability of the Ban de Gasperich and to ensure a sufficient supply of water to the new district and surrounding neighbourhoods, the construction of a new water tower was necessary.

The Ville de Luxembourg launched an architectural competition in September 2012 and nominated the winner in February 2013, namely the Jim Clemes architecture and design studio, the Schroeder & Associates design office, the T / E / S / S engineering workshop and the Licht Kunst Licht AG.

With a finished height compared to the natural ground of 68.43 m, to ensure an optimal pressure of drinking water, the water tower has 2 tanks each with a capacity of 500 m3. The maximum height of the water in the tanks is 7.35m. A total of 413 m of stainless steel pipes (DN 100 to DN 400) were installed inside the water tower. The construction of the water tower also required the use of 2,750 m3 of concrete and 525 tonnes of reinforcement.

 
The facade is made of aluminum panels. With its white metal trim, it reflects the charm of the steel industry of yesteryear and symbolises the freshness and purity of water. The light grey tint of the concrete part of the tower, which is about 60 centimeters away from the metal structure, was achieved by a mixture of high slag content.
The facade structure, with a surface area of 3,628.03 m2 and 1,106 panels, guarantees the durability of the construction, with low maintenance costs, the facade requiring almost no particular intervention.
 
The lighting
 
The lighting concept was developed by "Licht Kunst Licht AG". Consisting exclusively of LEDs, the lighting is fully programmable and its colour can be adjusted according to the seasons. In addition, it reinforces the character of the tower as a visual landmark in the urban fabric, especially at night when it becomes a real light attraction for passers-by.
 
The energy concept
 
The exclusive use of LEDs for the illumination of the water tower makes the energy consumption very low.