Bovljek - a hill covered with forest, offering views of nearby hills all the way to the Alps - is a popular hiking spot. The subject of the competition task was to design an observation tower that would allow visitors to climb above the treetops and include space for storing various equipment for the local tourist association and optionally a toilet.

Our presented solution divides required functions into three separate objects.

The observation tower, thirty meters high, enables visitors to ascend above the crowns of nearby trees, providing a view of the expansive hilly landscape. However, the experience is not limited to the top of the tower. The entire ascent path offers hikers a comprehensive dramatic arc. After the open ascent above the forest undergrowth, the wooden curtain of the tower thickens, and on the way up, through carefully placed openings, it allows only thoughtfully directed views. Towards the top of the tower, for a few steps, a broader view opens again to the nearby trees, branches and leaves. But this lasts only a few moments. Then the wooden curtain closes again until the grand finale, when one finds oneself on an open platform as if standing on the crowns of nearby trees.

The tower is complemented by a service and storage facility that still offers quite a bit to unauthorized visitors as well. A mountain stamp, first aid, defibrillator, and service tools for cyclists are available. The roof is designed to collect rainwater, making it available to visitors. Optionally, the installation of photovoltaic panels on top and a battery inside the building is also planned.

The last, but by no means the least important, object is a dry outdoor toilet. A raised ramp leads to it above the forest floor. The door is replaced by a lifting bridge, allowing the visitor to have a view of the nearby forest from the royal seat, where, with a bit of luck, they might even spot a bear while answering nature's call. As this roof is also designed as a rainwater collector, water for basic hygiene is available to the visitor in this case as well.

The design proces folowed the goar to ensure the desired experience and functional usability. Given that the location is not accessible by conventional construction machinery, much attention was paid to the feasibility of the structures and the minimization of necessary maintenance. All of this partly dictated the design concept itself, which is highly simplified and aims to blend all three objects as much as possible with the surrounding nature.