A solitary observation tower by BIG

Standing at 25 meters high, the Marsh Tower rises above the flat landscape of the town of Skærbæk in western Denmark. The observation and watchtower offers visitors the opportunity to cast their eyes over the natural landscape surrounding the Wadden Sea and the Wadden Sea National Park, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. According to the project brief, it is possible to see the horizon up to 4km from the ground floor of the tower, while  the view from the top can reach up to 18km. From there, a 110-square-meter platform opens up the horizon to the coast, a tidal plain that is also an important migratory stopover for thousands of birds and a refuge for just as many native species. At the center of the tower is a built-in elevator that provides access for users with disabilities. 

The Danish firm, led by Bjarke Ingels, worked on the observation tower in partnership with the local Marsk Camp Group to create a new tourism hotspot in the region. In addition to the tower, the park features restaurants, a miniature golf course, glamping tents and an RV park.  At 36 feet above sea level, the Marsh Tower, along with the nearby wind turbines, creates a landmark visible from across the area. It is impossible, however, not to notice the similarities with two other projects completed in recent years: the observation tower at Camp Adventure near Copenhagen designed by Effekt Architects and Thomas Heatherwick’s Vessel in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards; both structures that offer 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape and integrate into the spatial dimension of the site, whether it be the Manhattan skyline or the Scandinavian forests. The Marsktårn, however, built entirely of steel and with a double spiral shape, stands alone in the marshy landscape of the North Seas.