bee breeders has announced the winners of the abu dhabi flamingo observation tower competition. the winning entries include a winding boardwalk that resembles a birds nest and a birdcage-like pixelated structure with multiple openings.
 
the observation tower has been imagines for the al wathba reserve, 40 kilometers southeast of abu dhabi. the competition site oversees five square kilometers of wetlands, salt flats, and fossilized sands and dunes. while the reserve is known for an array of animal species, its most notable visitors are flamingos who frequent the area in their thousands during winter periods.

image © rafail gkaidatzis / panagiotis dimakidis
all images via beebreeders
 
 
the competition tasked participants with proposing designs for a flamingo observation platform and connecting boardwalk. intended as a new architectural landmark for the wetlands, the platform will supplement the reserve?s existing visitor experience center, a network of trails, and bird hide. requirements included a limited floor area of 400 square meters, and a height of 12 meters, and a budget of $200,000.
image © bryan fan / shelley xu
 
 
the winning design was contributed by australian-based architects bryan fan and shelley xu. they proposed transforming the typical boardwalk into an experiential promenade made up of a steel frame set on a forest of thing vertical members. dubbed ?flamingo dreams? it resembles a bird?s nest and a thicket of grass. the structure is topped with...