Similarly to the Observation Tower by UNStudio, this example by the Mur River in Austria has an open design which focuses on staircases. The staircases spiral around each other, meeting at the top. This allows users to climb to the top and continue along the staircase to go back down again, uninterrupted. This a clever system, but not one in which I entirely agree with. In my opinion, this way of leading people discourages the users of the tower from stopping and appreciating the view. It seems as though the whole design is built to almost rush people through it, not providing any particular platform for which people to look off. Despite this, I do appreciate the sculptural aspect of the tower’s design and can imagine a similar timber structure twisting and turning around. I think that this kind of geometry, combined with the lines formed by timber panels, could result in something quite beautiful. However, in my own designs, I feel that giving people a place to actually observe should be key. |