Jean Nouvel's 220-metre-tall Tour Hekla, developed by Hines and AG Real Estate, will employ Thyssenkrupp's unique TWIN elevators using two cabins moving within the same shaft. The news comes as excavation for the 49-storey second phase of the project continues adjacent to the completed 22-storey maiden tower.

Rendering of Tour Hekla, image via thyssenkrupp Elevator AG

Tour Hekla will deploy 12 TWIN elevators, helping to free up floor space and maximize passenger transport. Thyssenkrupp estimates that by 2022, the system will be moving people up and down the building at a speed of 7 metres per second. The project will also include an additional 12 conventional elevators and escalators.

TWIN elevator system in Thyssenkrupp's Essen, Germany headquarters, image via thyssenkrupp Elevator AG

The La Defense skyline welcomed the shorter tower to its sprawling collection of highrises in 2018, introducing 10,000 square metres of student residences to the dense neighbourhood. The follow-up tower adopts the same crystalline form of the first phase, extruded upwards across more than double the number of floors.

Site construction in November, the completed 22-storey first phase in the foreground, image by Forum contributor Vincent !

The skyscraper will hold 66,000 square metres of office space. The bottom levels of the building will be devoted to common and reception areas and restaurants. At its base will be a green footpath inspired by New York City's famous High Line. 

SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.