LOOKBOOKS
From a flying saucer-esque observation deck by Álvaro Siza in the Serra do Moradal mountains in Portugal to a swooping, “winged” visitor center by Dorte Mandrup in an Arctic fjord, here is a selection of innovative structures that offer a point of engagement with diverse natural landscapes.
By Mrin B
1 September 2024
The Zebro viewpoint in Portugal, designed by Álvaro Siza, is anchored to a cliff edge in the Serra do Moradal mountains through a cantilevered system | Image by Daniel Sousa
Not many might turn down the opportunity to escape indefinitely to some far-flung location, away from the hustle and bustle of cities and from their fast-paced lifestyles. Be it an effect of the pandemic, when everything slowed down and one could hear birds chirping and not cars honking outside the window, or just the desire for a slower pace to life, there is a certain appeal to being disconnected from the urban, to breathe clean air and revel in natural surroundings. This return to the natural, an innate human instinct, can be traced to Romantic ideals about the bucolic life, a life of self-sufficiency and being in harmony with all that is around us.
Similarly, there is a certain allure to the lone structure standing tall within a natural landscape, symbolic of man’s triumph over the wild, or conversely, a ruin overrun by nature, signifying a certain cyclical nature to existence. Architects and designers, in response, continue to cater to this wild desire, of wanting to be in the natural world, and reveling in the beauty of the untouched. Whether it be through viewpoints that are suspended over rock cliffs, visitor centers blanketed in snow, or a small pavilion that blends into its desert landscape, we have just the fantasies for you.
Kangiata Illorsua Ilulissat Icefjord Center by Dorte Mandrup
Copenhagen-based practice Dorte Mandrup’s Kangiata Illorsua Ilulissat Icefjord Center, located between the town of Ilulissat and the expansive Arctic landscape of Greenland, is a visitor center for tourists to the area to gain a better understanding of the significance of the ancient landscape. The region is known for the Ilulissat Icefjord and massive icebergs that frame the skyline, with trekking trails inserted into the local Sermermiut settlement.
Dorte Mandrup’s design for the Kangiata Illorsua Ilulissat Icefjord Center in Greenland emulates the form of wings | Image by Adam Mørk
The building, which appears to grow out of its Arctic terrain, creates a shelter for tourists in the vast landscape and a departure point into the wilderness. Its swooping shape, much like wings — also emulated in the slanted walls — is designed to ensure snow can drift off easily, while also allowing visitors to climb onto the roof and take in the surrounding glaciers. The structure is also lifted off the ground to ensure melting water can follow its natural path underneath the building into the Sermermiut Lake.
The sloping form of the structure becomes a deck that trekkers can climb onto to look out at the Ilulissat Icefjord | Image by Adam Mørk
Zebro Viewpoint by Álvaro Siza Vieira
Appearing to be suspended in air over the impressive Serra do Moradal mountain range in Portugal, the Zebro viewpoint is designed by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. The viewpoint, serving as a rest stop for trekkers, is integrated into the International Appalachian Trail, and overlooks an extensive valley traversed by the Zêzere River.
Álvaro Siza designed a circular disc in reinforced concrete with an undulating guardrail for the the Zebro viewpoint in Portugal | Image by Daniel Sousa
The structure comprises a circular disc constructed in reinforced concrete, which is supported by a cantilever fixed to the mountain, and an undulating guardrail for protection. The simplicity of the design, which alludes to an alien ship landing on a rocky crag in the middle of nowhere, is a common feature of such viewpoints; they recede into the background, serving as a projection from which visitors can take in the enormity and beauty of the surrounding terrain.
The observation deck includes two circular cutouts for visitors to get a comprehensive view of the landscape | Image by Daniel Sousa
Panda Tower by UDG. Atelier Alpha
The helical, twisted structure of the Panda Tower, designed as an outlook post for the campus of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding by Chinese architects UDG. Atelier Alpha, takes inspiration from bamboo shoots. Combining natural forms with technological precision, the tower is 11 stories high with a viewing platform at each level. These overlapping platforms, arranged in a pattern, give visitors the impression of being inside a flower.
Designed by UDG. Atelier Alpha, the Panda Tower in Chengdu, China, serves as an observation tower for visitors to observe giant pandas | Image by SIMON
The lone towering structure in a vast undulating terrain of bamboo plantations, the Panda Tower offers impressive views of the surroundings. The top also incorporates a mechanical framework allowing it to open up on special days, such as the birth of new giant panda babies, and important holidays and festivals.
The tower’s design is derived from the natural sequence of flower petals and bamboo shoots, modeled parametrically by the architects | Image by Arch-Exist
Learning Viewpoint by Al Borde
In the midst of the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest in Ecuador, a tented structure beckons the visitor. Designed by local architecture studio Al Borde as a prototype for viewpoints within the forest’s proposed master plan, it provides a space for visitors to sit and take in nature, and for guides or tutors to address audiences.
The Learning Viewpoint, designed by Al Borde within the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest in Ecuador, draws on sustainable materials such as locally sourced wood and a strengthened textile framework | Image by JAG Studio
The simple design is constructed with wood, preserved to last longer using a Japanese technique that involves burning the top layer. Topping the wooden framework is a tent-like canopy, made of canvas and sprayed on with cementitious mortar. This high-strength coating for the canopy ensures the lookout space can endure inclement weather and sunlight exposure.
The viewpoint serves as a space where trekkers can rest and guides can address audiences | Image by JAG Studio
The Pyramid Viewpoint by BTE Architecture
Located on a peninsula overlooking the brilliant blue stretches of Loch Lomond in Scotland, the Pyramid Viewpoint designed by local practice BTE Architecture is a simple wooden pavilion. Reaching the viewpoint from a set of interlinked pathways along the larger natural site, one encounters only a tunnel that frames views of the Loch.
The Pyramid Viewpoint, a wooden pavilion with benches integrated into its steps, frames expansive views over Loch Lomond in Scotland | Image by Mick McGurk
Passing through it, a visitor is greeted by two staircases that converge. Benches are interspersed in the design of the steps, mimicking the design of an arena. The structure was designed by the architects for the Scottish Scenic Routes competition, and then realized by the Loch Lomond and National Park authority on site.
Visitors walking along the site first encounter the structure designed by BTE Architecture as a tunnel | Image by Andrew Lee
