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Description

The new observation tower on the River Mur, located in Southern Styria, Austria, set amidst the landscape of the European habitat system “Green Belt”, opened to the public in the spring of 2010. The observation tower offers exceptional views to the surrounding floodplain forest, allowing the visitors to experience the river and its seasonal changes.

The Mur Tower was developed based on the idea of a double helix perceived as a continuous path rising up through the trees. The circular path crosses through the forest’s different levels, displaying the ecological “storeys” of the floodplain forest, enabling the visitors to experience the local ecosystem and its microclimate. At the summit of a 168 steps stairway, 27 m height, the visitor reaches the observation platform, offering wonderful panoramic views to the surroundings. A second flight of stairs leads down from the platform preventing the ascending and descending visitors to cross.

An integrated approach was adopted for the design process, particularly on the case of the special polygon based structure, conceived in collaboration with structural planners, taking in account on its design a series of aspects relevant not only to the structure itself but also to its production. The collaborative design produced several studies and preliminary models that were repeated and tested until the desired interplay of form, motion and structure was finally reached. The hybrid structural framework of the Mur Tower combines fixed spatial node connections with cables and struts. The main structure is comprised by load-bearing tube-shaped members that provide stability. The cables limit oscillation and horizontal sway at the top of the tower.

Biography

Klaus K. Loenhart is an experienced architect with a deep understanding of architectural theory, being also skilled in landscape architecture. His multidisciplinary practice resulted from his collaboration at the office of Herzog & deMeuron, his studies and his teaching at the Harvard University. After returning to Europe, in 2003, Loenhart established in partnership with Christoph Mayr the office terrain: loenhart&mayr. In 2006 Klaus K. Loenhart was appointed as professor and head of the Institute for Architecture and Landscape at the Technical University in Graz, Austria.

Christoph Mayr is an experienced architect, interested in a joint practice between architecture and landscape architecture. His works include several large scale interventions, developed for the office Kiessler and Partner architects as well as for his own firm. In 2003 he established in partnership with Klaus K. Loenhart the office terrain: loenhart&mayr.

terrain: loenhart&mayr is a multidisciplinary office that combines knowledge from the fields of landscape architecture, landscape and urbanism.