#Caschlatsch Tower and Alpine Hiking

#Caschlatsch is a project that demonstrates innovative advances
in robotic timber construction and human-machine collaboration. The tower is now installed on a forgotten rocky outcrop above the Lukmanier pass, where the Caschlatsch castle once stood. The structure is a sculptural statement, as a mile-marker destination for hikers, as a folly in the landscape.

The project is a collaboration between the MAS ETH DFAB, Gramazio Kohler Research at ETH Zurich and a local from Disentis/Mustér – the region where the tower has been installed.

This innovative wooden frame construction was manufactured in the
Robotic Fabrication Lab at ETH Zurich, with advanced coordination of
robotic, CNC, and human fabrication and assembly. The design for the structure was developed entirely using parametric and computational tools by students of the MAS ETH DFAB and tested in collaboration with local partners using VR technologies. The tower pieces were designed for prefabrication, transportation and fast assembly on-site using a helicopter.

The hiking tour will be guided by Dr. Oliver Bucklin from Gramazio Kohler Research and members of the MAS ETH DFAB team who participated in the project.

Tour participants will meet at Zurich main train station and travel to Disentis/Mustér by rail. On arrival the group will hike through the
alpine landscape to visit several regional scenic sites and stop for lunch.

The main destination of #Caschlatschwill be reached by mid-afternoon. A
return hike brings the group back to the train station for the return trip to
Zurich. The tour is a full-day excursion with return to Zurich in the early evening.

Participants on the tour should bring adequate walking/hiking shoes and
be comfortable walking for 4 hours in hilly terrain.