Kurgi Observation Tower
Overview
Kurgi Observation Tower competition was launched by Bee Breeders in 2020. The brief was to design an observation tower in Latvia's Northern Biosphere in a horse breeding farm.
Diagrams
The Tower is engineered for the visitors to experience the horse’s vision through every slab. A panoramic view is provided on every floor with a partially blocked area mimicking the horse’s blind spot. This, in turn, creates and guides the tower’s vertical circulation.
A lift, which also acts as a core and a pivot point for the tower is provided as an alternative for the disabled and for an easier access to the last floor during harsh weather periods.
The movement in slabs between floors is reminiscent of the horse pirouette, mimicking a horse as its fixes its front leg to the ground and rotates its body. This allows for a smooth shift in form and provides views from every level.
The tower’s structure mirrors the horse gaits (movements). This is meant for visitors to experience all 4 horse movements (walk, gallop, canter, trot), as they gradually make their way through the tower. This is engineered to define the tower’s structure and to guide the variations in height between the tower’s floors. Visitors will experience fluctuations between
high and low ceilings depending on the horse gaits.
Team: Rani Boustani, Louai Nouaihed, Bilal Jouni
