Located in Fairmount Park, the goal of the project was to create a completely sustaitnable bird watching tower. The structure is perched on a steep slope to view the stream below and to allow the user to take in the site up and down the stream.
The design focuses on a singular experience. Each hallway/viewing room is only big enough to accomodate a couple people at a time to make sure the user feels cut off from the world around them, ensuring they take in the view and sounds that the hall is pointing towards. Each hall is focused towards a specific view, tree top or area of sound due to running water or wind through the trees. Circulation is held within the spine of the tower, allowing uninterrupted experiences within the viewing areas.
A re-evaluation into the project allowed me to make changes and additions to the passive systems I chose to use at the beginning of the project. A wall section was also pursued to better understand the structure, how each floor was coming together, and to be more specific in what materials were going to be used for the project.
Wall section of a steel structure with a stone cladding on the exterior of the building's spine. The stone acts as a thermal mass for the tower to allow for heat gains in the winter months and continual use of the space year-round.
Through research and experimentation, I came to the conclusion that a system of operative windows on the first floor and along the spine would allow for air flow to all levels of the tower. Louvers are then added to the design to add shade to the interior spaces and cut back on the amount of cooling required in the building in the summer.
