bjarke ingels' 'marsk tower' observation helix officially opens to public

with first visualizations revealed at the beginning of the summer, bjarke ingels group / BIG at last opens its marsk tower to the public. translated to ‘marsh’ tower, the spiraling observatory is named in honor of its natural context, the wadden sea national park in denmark. captured by rasmus hjortshøj, the tower has already made its name as a sculptural landmark as it rises above the landscape like a sculptural art object, although surely functional as an observation lookout point and key tourist destination. the team at BIG confirms that the tower is indeed wheelchair accessible, with a centralized core occupied by an elevator accessed by a ground-level ramp. simply, the corten steel tower expresses a both a design and material palette that is clear and uncomplicated, blending into the vast surroundings.

images by rasmus hjortshøj

jakob lange, architect and partner, bjarke ingels group / BIG comments on the completed marsk tower: ‘because of the earth curvature, visitors will gradually expand their view of the horizon while walking to the top of the tower. on the foot of the tower, you will be able to see 4 kilometers [2.5 miles] into the distance, but from the top of the tower the view is expanded to an 18 kilometer [11 mile] view into the horizon. the stairs widen at the top of the tower, creating a 110 meter-squared [1,180 square foot] lookout spot with views stretching to city of esbjerg, the islands rømø and sylt, and beyond the wadden sea to the north sea.‘

for its marsk tower observatory, the team at bjarke ingels group / BIG worked with a local group marsk camp. the partners created an experiential destination that presents the unique landscape from a new perspective, to tourists worldwide. wadden sea national park is one of the last remaining large-scale intertidal ecosystems in the world and is known for its sea, dunes, woods, heaths, fauna, and wildlife. bjarke ingels comments: ‘marsk tower is a testament to our two decades-long friendship and collaboration with the blacksmiths of schacks trapper. the double helix provides two stairs and an elevator with a single stack of rotating steel steps, allowing visitors to ascend and descend in a single spiraling loop from the sand to the sky – connecting the marsh land to the wadden sea.’