Lookout Tower Velká Deštná

Tourist lookout tower on the highest peak of the Orlické Mountains – Velká Deštná (1115 m above sea level), inspired by the characteristic climatic conditions. Rain and wind!
The five-sided floor plan of the lookout tower is shaped by the contour lines of the summit of Velká Deštná. The mass or volume of the lookout tower itself was formed by simply "extruding" the floor plan into a simple abstract form.
Streams of rain driven by the wind were transformed into thin rod-like elements of the lookout's structure. Different directions of rain showers are expressed in the directions of the elements that intersect on the individual walls. The defining natural elements are also recalled by the wind sleeve on the summit platform and the raindrop-shaped bench at the base of the tower.
The envelope of the lookout tower changes dynamically according to the angle of view from both the exterior and the interior. A three-legged staircase rises between semi-transparent walls to the penultimate floor. From there, a narrow spiral staircase leads to the summit platform, serving as the final moment of tension before the peak. Then, visitors are greeted with an uninterrupted panoramic view of the wide landscape.
The steel load-bearing structure ensures the long lifespan of the building in challenging climatic conditions. The concrete base and the entrance portal of the lookout tower reference the structures of wartime fortifications, reminding of a tumultuous part of the history of the Orlické Mountains.