Crystal Tower

The Torre de Cristal is one of the landmark buildings within Madrid’s Cuatro Torres Business Area and one of the tallest skyscrapers ever constructed in Spain. With a height of 250 metres and 53 storeys, the tower was designed as a high-capacity office building characterized by its slender geometry and fully glazed façade. The structural system is organized around a reinforced concrete central core stiffened by transverse diaphragm walls, which provides the building with resistance against lateral loads, controls structural deformations and ensures overall stability under wind actions

From the perspective of fabricated reinforcing steel, the project was distinguished by the complexity of its reinforcement detailing and the demanding construction rates required for a high-rise structure of this scale. The foundation and below-grade levels extend approximately 19.25 metres below ground level, incorporating perimeter diaphragm walls and a heavily reinforced concrete substructure designed to transfer the substantial vertical loads of the tower to the ground. The central core originates at foundation level with wall thicknesses of up to 1.20 metres, gradually reducing to 0.70 metres at the upper levels. This continuous variation required constant adaptation of both formwork systems and reinforcement configurations throughout the construction process

ERSIGROUP participated in the supply, fabrication and installation of reinforcement for the central core, foundations, floor structures and primary load-bearing elements. The triangular floor plan and the absence of right angles generated significant complexity in reinforcement detailing, cutting schedules and fabrication processes. A large proportion of the core reinforcement cages was prefabricated off-site and delivered in modules weighing up to 6 tonnes, which were subsequently lifted into position by tower cranes. This industrialized approach substantially reduced on-site reinforcement work and improved construction efficiency

The project incorporated large-diameter reinforcement, with Ø20 mm, Ø25 mm and Ø32 mm bars used extensively throughout the structure. The combination of industrialized reinforcement fabrication, detailed logistics planning and specialized installation procedures enabled construction rates of one completed floor every six days, while maintaining comprehensive quality control and full traceability of both reinforcing steel and concrete. The industrialized reinforcement solutions developed by ERSIGROUP played a key role in meeting the demanding construction schedule of one of Spain’s most technically challenging high-rise developments

KEY MILESTONES:

• 250 m high skyscraper comprising 53 storeys
• One of the tallest buildings ever constructed in Spain
• More than 72,000 m² of gross floor area
• Reinforced concrete central core stiffened by transverse diaphragm walls
• Foundation and below-grade structure extending 19.25 m below ground level
• Core wall thicknesses varying from 1.20 m at foundation level to 0.70 m at upper floors
• Prefabrication of reinforcement cage modules weighing up to 6 tonnes
• Extensive use of large-diameter reinforcing bars including Ø20 mm, Ø25 mm and Ø32 mm
• Triangular floor plan without right angles, requiring complex reinforcement detailing and fabrication
• Construction rate of one floor every six days
• Comprehensive quality control and full traceability of reinforcing steel and concrete
• Implementation of industrialized reinforcement fabrication, prefabrication and installation processes developed by ERSIGROUP, optimizing productivity, safety and construction quality