At the end of a peninsula in the Burger Binnensee, the 18-meter-high observation tower is visible from afar in all directions.

The contemporarily interpreted archaic form with its light wooden shingle cladding has become an integral part of the maritime landscape. The wooden shingles used translate the play of waves and the colors of sand and beach grass into a soft architectural language. Sun and weather change the appearance of the facade throughout the seasons, from dark gray in autumn fog to almost white under the blazing summer sun.

The tower is easily accessible on foot and by bicycle via the promenade, but exposed enough to feel the extreme harshness of the maritime climate and experience the attractiveness of the landscape.

Protected from storms and rain inside, a winding staircase leads up through several platforms, freely suspended in space. Daylight openings in the 12.5-meter-high space direct the view upwards. On the staircase, visitors experience this interior space along the way with exciting glimpses into the depths. Views framed by the intermediate platforms serve as previews of the surrounding landscape.

On the observation platform, 14 meters above the Baltic Sea, there is a 360-degree panoramic view of the coastal landscape, partly reserved for migratory birds on their way to and from Scandinavia but also a paradise for wind and kite surfers.

Based on the competition results, the design was revised and developed in several steps using digital and physical models in close coordination with the engineers.

The architectural idea was translated into an economical and modern engineered wood construction. Curved wooden components are precisely manufactured using CNC technology and form the skeleton of the tower.

The structure is braced by a shell of bent laminated veneer lumber. The wooden shingle cladding protects the entire structure from Baltic autumn and winter storms.

The detailed planning was carried out in close coordination with the executing carpentry, which used the provided 3D model directly as a basis for timber framing.

The project was realized in October 2021 as part of the EU-funded renovation of the entire yacht harbor promenade at Burger Binnensee by the city of Fehmarn and has since been visited by around 100,000 guests every year. The tower is open to the public year-round and is also accessible for the disabled with an elevator.

First Prize
2 Stage Open Competition.
HOAI LPH 1-8, Completed.

Project Data:

Location : Burgtiefe Fehmarn, Germany
Duration :  2018 - 2023
Height : 16.5m
Client : Stadt Fehmarn - Tourismusservice
Collaborators : Bollinger Grohman Berlin, Merkel Ingenieur Consult Kiel, IB Miebach Köln, Das Architektenkontor Fehmarn
Photographers : Ignacio Bandera