The "Stone Flower” Project - Emotions and a view at 1704m

Summary 
Project: The "Stone Flower” 
Products used: Brickwork support, Natural stone support systems 
City: Ticino, Switzerland 

Designed by the renowned architect Mario Botta, the "Stone Flower" is the landmark on Monte Generoso at 1704 m. The building serves as a restaurant at the mountain’s summit with a central octagonal room surrounded by flower petals. 
 
The “flower head” opens to make space for a terrace, which follows the line of the mountain crest to the east. The layout of the individual structural elements (i.e., the petals) creates a group of five-story towers, each narrow at the bottom, spreading outwards to mid-height and narrowing again as they reach their final height. This unique shape is the reason the building was named “The Stone Flower” (or Fiore di Pietra). 

The reinforced concrete structure is clad with grey natural stone, alternating horizontal stripes of smooth or textured surface finish. This gives the structure a textured pattern. The monolithic-looking towers are connected by glass surfaces. The stone flower is perched on a rocky mountain plateau and provides 360-degree views of the breathtaking panorama. 

We brought our extensive expertise in façade fixings to this extraordinary building project. We built and delivered specially designed support brackets adapted for the two different angles of the façade. An additional, vertical, SUK-type channel support system was installed behind the natural stone for support in the overhanging sloped areas of the façade. Horizontal channels were then installed with specially developed fixings at every third joint. The whole structure is designed to withstand wind loads of 2,16 kN/m2.