Founded in 1848, the natural park of
Landgoed Schovenhorst at Putten
in The Netherlands is famous for its
wide variety of plant species.
Commissioned by the park’s
managing foundation to design a
viewing tower, Amsterdam practice
SeARCH have come up with an
observation point that offers a
privileged view of the luxuriant
vegetation. But they’ve also
devised a multifunctional path
that allows visitors to immerse
themselves in the centuries-old
foliage. You can enjoy the allround
panorama at 30 metres
from the ground, but you can
also climb up and lie on a net to
admire the vegetation below. A few
steps further up, a small theatre
provides the setting for shows and
performances. The tower offers
unusual views and perspectives
as you ascend: a fragment of sky,
a tangle of branches, the foliage
of the trees or the ground below.
Seen from underneath, the tower
appears as a mirrored surface that
reflects the trees, becoming an
integral part of the surrounding
nature. Elena Sommariva
