07 Dec 2011
New rowing landmark for Lucerne
The Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland, will receive a new finish tower. Known as the lake of the gods in the world of rowing, the Rotsee has become the regular venue of the final Rowing World Cup each season.
The rebuilt finish tower at the end of the 2000 metre course will become a landmark for rowing in Lucerne. The design has come out of a competition of local architectural school students and the winning design was recently announced.
The final design was decided by a jury of university professors, architects, members of the Lucerne Regatta Association Organising Committee and FISA events director Svetla Otzetova. Narrowed down to three entries, the winning design combined features of a standard box finish tower with a more creative approach. John Butcher an English student studying in Lucerne, who designed the winning finish tower, will now get the opportunity to work with planners and professional architects to bring the project to working life.
Otzetova said the design encompassed two important aspects, its functionality and how it would look on television in terms of becoming a Lucerne trademark.
“It was a balance between look and functionality,” says Otzetova. “It is a unique design, there’s nothing similar to this in the world.”
President of the Lucerne Organising Committee, Urs Hunkeler said the design is completely different from the current 1962-built tower.
The project is due to be finished in time for the 2009 Lucerne Rowing World Cup and will be part of Lucerne’s bid to host the 2011 World Rowing Championships. If Lucerne wins the bid they see the finish tower as being a unique landmark signifying the finish of every race to international television audiences.
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