The observation tower is the winning proposal of an architectural competition arranged by the municipality of Varberg, Sweden, for a landmark 12 meter tall observation tower in a natural reserve for birdlife overlooking the coastline. Kärven, The Sheaf in Swedish, acts as a symbol of bringing birdlife closer to humans.
The winning proposal will be constructed entirely of wood, made up of 140 wooden ribs that form a three-dimensional woven structure. The design development was led by the hyperboloid construction principle, made up with a lattice of straight beams the tower creates the illusion of being curved.
With a simple and clear form, the hourglass-shaped scheme will be visible from the city’s northern areas, including from the nearby railway and the main entrance road.
Stepping into the structure at ground level the hyperbolic shape creates a unique spacial experience for the visitors. The play of light through the wooden ribs reminiscing of that of an arabesque window. Walking up, the change of density in the wooden structure thanks to the hyperbolic shape is omnipresent. The different sized rhombic frames allows the gaze focus on specific parts of the beautiful landscape.
This project aims to blur the border between architecture and structure. A material efficient solution that also creates an interesting spacial presence, everything is connected into one coherent design. With a few simple details, off-the-shelf material and low-tech building methods we want to challenge the preconceived notion that interesting architecture has to be costly.
To see more amazing entries from this year’s WAN Awards please click here.