May 2022 - The observation tower on the River Mur in Southern Styria, Austria, was developed by the Munich-based architects terrain: loenhart & mayr. It opened to the public in 2010, when the area was in the process of being partially renaturated. Along the river walkers and cyclists are lead through different adventure stations. Arriving at the Mur tower, visitors have a straight view over the changing riverbank as they gaze at and sense the fragrant plants nearby. The steel-framed structure with its tricky tectonics follows the principles of a double-helix. Aluminum-clad panels rise from the embankment escorting visitors to a platform resting 27 meters above the ground and overlooking the nature reserve, allowing scientific monitoring as well as visual access to the river renaturation project.

Photo: terrain: integral designs BDA