Three Liebherr EC-B flat-top tower cranes have been used to manage construction operations at the Ki site in the centre of Lyon, a location described as one of France’s most constrained urban building projects.
GCC Auvergne Rhône-Alpes deployed the cranes over a 14-month period to handle all structural lifting, working within a narrow space between the Part-Dieu shopping centre and the 115m Tour Oxygène, in the heart of Lyon’s business district.
The construction required careful planning due to the limited site access and close proximity to existing structures.
One of the cranes’ jibs operated just 3m from a neighbouring high-rise facade, while hook heights reached up to 73m to accommodate the building’s expanding structure.
The cranes maintained continuous operation throughout the construction programme despite these restrictions.
The three Liebherr models used were the 150 EC-B 8, the 205 EC-B 10, and the 340 EC-B 12.
The main crane, a 340 EC-B 12, was positioned on an 8m foundation chassis, reaching a hook height of 73m with a 57.5m jib, and a maximum lifting capacity of 12t.
This set-up was chosen to ensure enough clearance and reach at all stages of the work, from the lower floors to the roofs of the planned residential towers.
The 205 EC-B 10 crane, set at a 68m hook height and 52.5m jib, operated in the most restricted position, passing just 3m from the Tour Oxygène. This required exact modelling of slewing arcs, load paths, and wind factors before installation.
The 150 EC-B 8, at 47m, managed material supply for the base and podium sections of the development.
The Ki project, commissioned by Cogedim and designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, aims to provide 85 apartments above 21,000m² of office space.
Caisse d’Epargne Auvergne Rhône-Alpes will establish a flagship branch at ground level.
The site is intended to integrate green spaces and a patio to address local environmental challenges, as part of ongoing redevelopment efforts in Lyon’s Part-Dieu district.
Demolition and material recovery for the project began in 2022 and construction is expected to run until 2026.
Recently, Grúas Aguilar, a crane operator, ordered 15 new cranes from Liebherr to update and grow its fleet.
