Metropolitan cities all have the same needs: that of growing vertically by replacing energy-consuming, structurally obsolete buildings by erecting higher, eco-friendlier, anti-seismic and extraordinary skyscrapers. Explosives are banned in most densely populated urban areas, for this reason Despe decided to create an innovative, safe, eco-friendly and swift solution for the controlled demolition of urban skyscrapers: TopDownWay®.

TopDownWay® is a modular self-descending machine that can be adapted to suit the requirements of all types of structures to be demolished. It is an intelligent containment system as it retains all the material generated by the demolition works within the structure (glass, rubble, debris, noise, vibrations, dust, and sprayed water). TopDownWay® allows operators to work simultaneously on the three floors it occupies, in which it is possible to carry out different operations at the same time, such as the dismantling of the façades, the demolition of the floor and the removal of debris. As the work progresses, the platform descends in a controlled manner until it reaches zero level and the building has been completely demolished.

Assembly and disassembly of the structure takes place in situations of total safety for the environment and very swiftly: the different parts of the TopDownWay® are assembled on the ground, hoisted with a crane and then assembled directly on the top of the skyscraper. After completing the demolition work, the structure is dismantled and disassembled.