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Weightless Wooden Beams Enhancing Views in a Natural Landscape

Authors:
Kan Tong, Yifei Niu
Weightless Wooden Beams Enhancing Views in a Natural Landscape
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Elevated by weightless wooden beams, the observation tower offers expansive views of the surrounding fissures while blending seamlessly into the natural landscape and providing functional spaces for visitor engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Elevated wooden beams create a sense of weightlessness in the structure.
02
Multiple viewing platforms enhance visitor engagement with the landscape.
03
The design incorporates natural recovery of the surrounding road.
04
Functional areas include a café and seating for visitor comfort.
05
Strategic pathways guide exploration of the site's geological features.

The design is set in a landscape marked by fissures and caves, showcasing the powerful influence of nature. It serves as an observation point, inviting people to connect with the dramatic topography and vast openness of the area. Through its thoughtful design, the tower establishes a relationship between the constructed form and the natural environment, encouraging exploration and reflection.

Structural Composition

The main structure of the tower consists of large wooden beams that serve as the primary supports. These beams are complemented by lightweight wooden walls, giving a sensation of elevation and airy openness that contrasts with the solid geological formations nearby. As visitors ascend, they experience a gradual transition that enhances the feeling of being elevated within the landscape.

Spatial Organization

Pathways are integrated into the design to lead visitors toward the tower. These pathways create a guided experience, allowing people to discover the views of the landscape as they approach. The tower not only serves as a prominent visual element but also includes practical spaces such as an office for storage, seating areas, and a café. These features enrich the visitor experience and encourage interaction with the environment.

Sustainability Considerations

Attention to sustainability is apparent in the project’s intent to restore the surrounding road to a natural state. This choice shows a commitment to respecting the ecological balance of the site. It fosters a connection that goes beyond the immediate experience of the tower, extending into the broader landscape. Such considerations help visitors appreciate the natural environment while reducing the impacts of human presence.

Experiential Features

Viewing platforms are thoughtfully positioned within the tower to encourage deeper interaction with the unique geological features. These platforms provide opportunities for reflection and observation, allowing visitors to engage with the fascinating fissures while considering their relationship to the site. The experience is designed to merge function with a strong connection to nature.

Visitors find that the platforms are created to connect interior and exterior spaces, promoting an ongoing dialogue with the landscape at every level. Each level offers different perspectives, drawing attention to the intricate beauty of the geological formations surrounding the tower.

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The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

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Competition organisers

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 is an international architecture competition dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the value of unrealized architectural designs. It invites architects, designers, and students worldwide to submit visionary projects that have not yet been constructed, highlighting the power of ideas and the creativity behind the design process. By focusing on unbuilt work, the competition aims to bring forward concepts that shape the future of architecture and push the boundaries of the profession. 

Participants can compete in three categories based on project scale: Small Wonders (up to 100 m²), Medium Marvels (101–999 m²), and Large Visions (over 1,000 m²). Each category winner will receive €20,000, and additional prizes include honorable mentions, student awards, and a special Best Presentation Award. Winning projects will gain significant international exposure through Buildner’s publicity campaign and a feature article on ArchDaily, providing a unique opportunity to showcase creative ideas to a global audience. 

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 encourages entrants to submit any type of unbuilt project, from conceptual visions to detailed designs, celebrating bold innovation without the constraints of realization. Important deadlines: registration closes on October 30, 2025; submissions are due by November 20, 2025; winners will be announced on December 17, 2025.

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025

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