KEMERI OBSERVATION PLATFORM - A Circular Outlook
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1. Glass Sheets 2. Wooden Pillars/Beams 3. Circular Pathway 4. Loadbearing Pillars
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10m
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40m
ELEVATION
SECTION
A Circular Outlook
When designing an observation platform, you’re faced with numerous approaches. One way is to frame a specific view. This guides the spectator into viewing the scenery from a fixed perspective, dictated by the designer. Another approach is to let the spectator him/herself make the decision. With a circular path you provide a continuous set of views from a 360-degree perspective. This lets the spectator choose which part of the scenery to view. The circular form is full of symbolism and connotations. It can for example stand for harmony, infinity, nature, energy, or the circle of life. So when aiming to combine a panoramic view with a sense of calmness and peace, the circular form was a given choice.
Connected to the network of wooden boardwalks the observation platform sits partly on the moss-covered ground and partly in the water of one of the lakes. The building’s most characteristic material is wood. 60 timber beams and pillars create a partly open, partly glass-covered pergola. The pergola, in turn, forms an inner and outer circle. The circles are slightly offset from each other and they also vary in height. This gives the building a dynamic tension and adds to its sculptural values. Underneath the wooden pergola is a circular pathway resting on pillars. With a ramp connecting the boardwalk to the pathway and with no excessive obstacles the observation platform aims to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. Seen from the outside it blends well with its surroundings. The color of the wooden beams integrates with the natural color pallet of the moss, trees and grass on the site. Simultaneously, it also stands out as a sculptural element in the landscape. Rising over the bog it stands tall as a clearly recognizable landmark for Kemeri National Park, offering a circular outlook. For all.