Setting a world record with UHPC - German engineering for the cross of the Sagrada Familia
The completion of the world-famous Sagrada Familia basilica, the most famous work by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, is drawing nearer. The monumental building is scheduled to be completed in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death – and the installation of the new tower cross is currently setting a genuine world record. Sudholt-Wasemann GmbH from Herzebrock-Clarholz in Germany is playing a key role in this.
The enormous cross, which will crown the Jesus Christ Tower in the future, measures 17 m in height, has a span of 13 m, and weighs 100 t. With its installation, the Sagrada Familia will officially become the tallest church in the world. Particularly noteworthy: the cross is completely accessible and thus an architectural masterpiece in its own right.
The order for Sudholt-Wasemann GmbH came via the company Josef Gartner from Gundelfingen, which brought the German company on board for this technically complex task. The cross is based on a duplex steel structure that has been castwith a 5 cm thick layer of UHPC. The outer tiles were set directly in concrete, while high-quality natural stone cladding was installed on the inside.
Special windows with a ground pyramid structure ensure unique light refraction in the interior.
Sudholt-Wasemann GmbH’s work on this project was very extensive. The company manufactured the basic formwork, milled the three-dimensional hard foam inserts with precise tile contours, and laid the tiles with millimeter precision according to detailed positioning specifications. In addition, the interior formwork for the steel structure was created and the individual segments were filled with UHPC. Dyckerhoff Nanodurzement was used as the binder for the UHPC. Finally, the tile joints were washed – a crucial step in permanently protecting the surface against weathering.
The cross is a unique structure that combines architectural vision with state-of-the-art engineering technology. Sudholt-Wasemann GmbH is proud to have been involved in this historic project. “We are proud to have contributed to such a world-famous and architecturally outstanding masterpiece and look forward to new challenges.”
