Type:
ReCREATIONAL
LOCATION:
ergemes, latvia
STATUS:
Comeptition
DATE:
2020
COLLABORATORS:
oowoo team: danny ortega, anna lim, nicholas houser
The Kurgi Observation Tower is envisioned as a vertical landmark composed of intertwining volumes that generate a sequence of framed views and spatial experiences. Visitors move upward through nested pathways and platforms, each revealing shifting perspectives of forest, field, and horizon, before culminating in a panoramic outlook at the tower’s summit.
The design emphasizes architectural clarity while embracing complexity through layering and overlap. At its core, the tower consists of a base volume that organizes circulation, a series of nested objects that form programmatic nodes, and a transparent wrapping skin that unifies the composition. This skin allows light to penetrate and creates a permeable enclosure that reflects the surrounding environment while maintaining a strong sculptural presence.
The use of locally available materials and established construction techniques grounds the project in practical feasibility while reinforcing its connection to Latvian building traditions. The structural and cladding systems are designed for efficiency, adaptability, and resilience, ensuring the tower’s long-term durability in a forested environment.
More than an elevated vantage point, the Kurgi Observation Tower is conceived as a spatial journey. Its intertwining geometry produces moments of compression and expansion, enclosure and exposure, drawing visitors into a dynamic relationship with the architecture itself. The tower becomes both an instrument for viewing and a destination in its own right, offering a layered architectural experience that shifts with approach, ascent, and outlook.
