Report: NiGRES Tower on the Oka
In 1896, Russian engineer Vladimir G. Shukhov (1853 –1939) designed the world’s first hyperbolic lattice tower for the All-Russia Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod. The filigree, 25.6 m high water tower with a viewing platform at the top was one of the highlights of the exhibition. The specialist press from all over the world marvelled at the structure because of its then unique form of construction: a one-sheeted hyperboloid created by rotationally displacing the bottom and top connection points of 80 straight rods relative to one another. The three-dimensional structure generated in this way is not only structurally efficient but also economically advantageous. Another benefit is that it can be quickly erected out of lightweight, standard angle sections. Furthermore, the aesthetic appeal of such a finely proportioned and web-like construction is difficult for anyone to resist even today.
