Structure
The entire timber and steel structure consists of several functional units. The Sky Walk trail leading through the clouds can be accessed by a 364-foot-long pathway covered with spruce timber planks. The way up is about 2,461 ft long with an elevation difference of 125 ft. The trail finishes with a "droplet" attraction, which is cantilevered about 36 ft above the valley. The droplet includes a relaxation net stretched over the open space.
In addition to spectacular views of the entire Sněžník massif, adventure fans can enjoy adrenaline attractions such as a mesh sleeve connecting two different levels of the footbridge, and a unique 331-foot-long slide made of stainless steel.
The key architectural elements of Sky Walk are three towers erected at heights of approximately 190 ft, 164 ft, and 144 ft, which form the main supporting structure. The ground plan shape of the towers is an equilateral triangle with a side length of 33 ft. The towers are constructed at a distance of 98.4 ft from each other, so they also form a triangular ground plan. The towers are anchored into single foundations. 24 threaded bars, each with a diameter of 2 33/64 inches, were used.
The towers are encircled by the trail footbridge, made of hot‑dip galvanized steel and covered with a spruce floor. The footbridge supporting structure consists mainly of a steel truss structure suspended or supported on towers. The timber supporting elements are made of larch glued-laminated timber, GL24h. The standard connections and fastening elements are made of steel in accordance with the corresponding standards and have strengths of 8.8 and 10.9. All steel elements are made of structural steel grade S355. The system ties are made of S460 steel.
Analysis and Design
It was necessary to design the building with regard to the assembly requirements of the specific terrain and to the extreme loading that may occur in this area. Gale‑force winds can reach speeds of up to 124.3 mph. Moreover, the structure is heavily exposed to ice loads. For structural and dynamic analysis of the structure, a detailed 3D model created in FEA structural software RFEM was utilized.
In spite of the complex project and construction, the company TAROS‑NOVA s.r.o. succeeded in realizing the structure in a short term of 9 months.
| Structural Engineering | TAROS-NOVA s.r.o. Rožnov pod Radhoštěm Czech Republic www.taros-nova.cz |
| Architect | Prof. Ing. arch. Zdeněk Fránek Brno, Czech Republic www.franekarchitects.cz |
| General Contractor | TAROS-NOVA s.r.o. Rožnov pod Radhoštěm Czech Republic www.taros-nova.cz |
| Investor | Sněžník a.s. Brno, Czech Republic |
