Flamingo Observation Tower

The Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in Abu Dhabi is home to a uniquely diverse ecosystem. The artificial wetlands were created in the heart of the Middle East, on the East of Abu Dhabi island, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Covering a total area of 5 km2, the reserve is comprised of wetlands, salt flats knowns as sabkhas, and fossilized sand dunes. The reserve has become an oasis of animal and plant life, attracting innumerable species of diverse wildlife to settle within the wetlands. This includes abundant plant and aquatic life as well as over 250 species of birds, most notably the spectacular flock of flamingos that call the wetlands home. The Flamingo Observation Tower seeks a stratification of views, juxtaposing experiences from different heights and directions to keep the user grounded to the Wathba Wetland at all times. It uses periscopes aimed at the four cardinal directions to reflect views from a height of 12 m, creating a hierarchy of views for a curated experience of the species inhabiting the wetland, while also subverting the obtrusive nature of space-hungry vertical circulation. The resulting expression is a flared mass of four periscopes, creating a shelter from which a user can enjoy a high vantage point of the wetland.