A landmark in Northwestern Switzerland...
Based on an international benchmark study, the Saldome® concept by Häring was selected by the Schweizer Salinen for further development. It is unique in both its scale and its purpose.
An 80,000 ton salt storage mound, rising 28 metres high, is enclosed by a Häring Ensphere timber gridshell dome with a diameter of 94 metres and a height of 31 metres. The optimised internal clearance profile accommodates a centrally rotating conveyor bridge that pushes the free-flowing salt into a central underground shaft. From this compact terminal, trains and trucks are loaded simultaneously at a handling capacity of 400 tonnes per hour.
The enormous storage capacity enables continuous salt production using lower-cost summer energy. The concept and its impressive dimensions stand out through their remarkable simplicity. The geometry of the geodesic dome is based on the fundamental principles found in nature.
Today, the engineering use of timber as a renewable building material is recognised worldwide as a key technology for sustainable development. In the Saldome®, timber demonstrates its outstanding structural performance while remaining completely resistant to the highly corrosive environment.
The fact that all the timber used for the Saldome® project came from approximately 500 silver fir trees harvested in the forests around Rheinfelden further reinforces the project's sustainability and regional significance.
Saldome® is industrial functionality at its finest. With Saldome®, Häring has opened up a new dimension for forward-looking architectural visions. Building with timber makes construction lighter, more efficient, and more sustainable—whether for sports stadiums, cultural and industrial buildings, or large-span, column-free covers for waste disposal facilities.
