Schindler has taken its groundbreaking Schindler X8 elevator to new heights, installing two working units inside a specially built house-style structure on Mount Männlichen in Grindelwald, Switzerland.
Set against the Bernese Alps and the iconic “Top of Europe”, the recent showcase provided a striking visual demonstration of how the Schindler X8 can open up new possibilities for architectural design, renovation and residential mobility by removing many of the constraints associated with traditional elevator installation.
Credit: Schindler Group
Schindler-X8-shows-flexible-installation-in-the-Swiss-Alps
Unlike conventional elevator systems, the Schindler X8 does not require a concrete shaft, pit or headroom. The elevator door front needs only a single wall cut-out. The Schindler X8 system operates via a standard 230V single-phase power outlet. At Grindelwald, Schindler brought this flexibility to life by installing two elevators inside a temporary house, giving customers a firsthand experience of how the product can be applied in both new and existing residential buildings.
More than 500 guests from across Switzerland attended the customer showcase, including architects, real estate managers, contractors and investors. Visitors were able to ride in the elevators, explore the materials used across the six curated interior packages, test the online configurator and discuss how the Schindler X8 could support their projects. The installation was also open to the public for two days.
“It’s a very innovative new product,” said Christoph Schmid, owner, Holzkreation Schmid AG. “It helps us architects when we can go to our customers with a product like this that stands for innovation. We work a lot in renovation, where the shaft and the pit are always an issue, which causes high costs. That’s why I am enthusiastic about this solution.”
Innovation and flexibility in action
The Grindelwald showcase was the third stop on the Schindler X8 tour, following appearances at the Global Elevator Exhibition in Milan and Swissbau in Basel.
For the Swiss Alps stop, the modular showcase was transported to Mount Männlichen and fitted with two fully operational Schindler X8 elevators in just two days. The build required close collaboration with local partners in Grindelwald, from moving the modules through narrow mountain routes to preparing the site with the temporary Schindler X8 house.
“The mountain setting gave customers a tangible way to understand the flexibility of the Schindler X8,” said Flavia Portner, Operations Manager, Business Innovation, Schindler. “We brought a complete house with two working elevators onto the mountain, and the
elevators were installed in just two days. Customers were intrigued by how we had done it, because it simply would not be possible with a conventional elevator system.”
Credit: Schindler Group
Schindler X8 shows flexible installation in the Swiss Alps
Opening up retrofit possibilities
The showcase also highlighted the potential of the Schindler X8 for modernization and retrofit projects, particularly in places like Switzerland, where residential buildings were built before modern accessibility standards were in place and where adding an elevator would be complex.
“In Switzerland, we have an aging building stock with around 80% of all buildings built before 2000, and many of those were built in the 1970s and 1980s,” said Marcel Imfeld, Director Modernization, Schindler Switzerland. “Many of these buildings have no elevator, and many of the people who bought apartments back then want to live in their homes for as long as possible, but have no chance of mobility and therefore, participation in social life. That’s why, with the Schindler X8, we have the ideal product to add an elevator to existing buildings and to give the residents mobility and the chance to participate in social activities.”
Customers could also explore the Schindler X8 configurator, which is designed to make specification and ordering faster, clearer and more transparent.
“This is the future,” said Silvano Tettamanti, Head of Real Estate Direct Investment, Procimmo SA. “It’s how customers want to order something, B2B and B2C exactly the same way. It’s not just the product, it’s also the entire sales process, which has obviously been rethought.”
Helping customers imagine what’s possible
Customer response to the Grindelwald showcase was overwhelmingly positive, with guests particularly interested in how the elevators had been installed on the mountain and how the Schindler X8 can remove traditional barriers in residential projects.
“We wanted customers to experience the innovation of the Schindler X8 and see for themselves what’s possible, not just hear about it,” said Amanda Driehorst, Strategy and Sales Manager, Business Innovation Team, Schindler. “Bringing the Schindler X8 to Mount Männlichen created a setting that reflects what the product is about in terms of opening up new possibilities and helping customers imagine what they can do when the elevator no longer has to dictate the building.”