krill proposes a promenade to watch birds’ migration in a latvian park

located in the south-west region of latvia, in the districts of nīca and rucava, the pape nature park is a famous site for its rich wildlife, and for being situated along the migration route of many rare birds. the pape bird observation tower competition challenged the architects to replace the old tower, which have been burnt down earlier, with a new project. the rotterdam-based krill o.r.c.a proposed an observation promenade instead of a tower. a slowly ascending bridge offers a beautiful view to the landscape, while keeping the impact on the ground to a minimum.

the competition challenged the architects to replace a new project
all images © krill o.r.c.a

the design not only eases animal movement around the area, but also guarantees wheelchair accessibility. at the end of the promenade, the visitor can choose either to shelter between the wings covering the platform, or to move on to the highest point and look between the openings, hidden behind lattices, at the birds.

promenade view

the promenade will be constructed out of latvia’s most common and sustainable building material — wood. in order to achieve low maintenance costs, the timber is treated with the well known japanese technique: charred sugi, an eco-friendly and extremely durable option.

elevation

using charred wood to replace a burned structure may seem unusual, but it is therefore a solid reference to the recent history of the site, it is highly practical, and it enhances the elegance of the design. in the bridge, the charred wood is used as a cladding to cover the balustrade — a laminated wooden beam. at the place of the platforms, the charred wooden laths, used as brise soleil, double in function: they are as well part of the bearing structure. 

visitor’s view

top views

the concept lies on the idea of a continuous promenade rather than a bird observing tower, with vertical louvres to hide behind

section

detailed section

project info:

krill o.r.c.a. team: harmen van de wal, vera tamburlin
competition organizer: bee breeders

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.