Watchtower Einderheide is just as much for animals as it is for people.
Dutch studios NEXT architects and H+N+S Landscape Architects present a bat-friendly wooden lookout in The Netherlands with a curved cut-out that reveals a spiral staircase. It houses six bat species present in this area for both winter and summer stay. The tower takes visitors to new heights to view and experience the surrounding wooded landscape. Furthermore, it is the final piece in a series of icons as part of the N69 road area development. From afar, the tower is a landmark in the Einderheide forest area.
Calm as well as lively location
The location of the watchtower in Bergeijk is an oasis of calm. While at the same time, the tower is a crossroads of movement: its location is determined by the flight paths for tree-dwelling bats, it is positioned central to the recreational cycling, walking and horse-riding network of the forest area and it featured as one in a series of structures and attractions built alongside the new N69 road near the Belgian border, named ´The greenest road of Brabant´.
Going up!
To explore and experience the woods on different heights, the Einderheide tower has a spiral staircase at its core, leading up to a 26-meter-high platform to enjoy panoramic views Along the ascend carefully chosen openings at various heights in the structure are created to provide for viewing spots offering surprising perspectives of the trees and forest. The way up is designed as a journey of discovery already.
All wood
In relation to the forested surroundings, to the ecological facilities and to the sustainability ambitions of all parties involved, it is only logical that the tower is built of wood. Also, wood mimics the natural habitat of several tree-dwelling bat species. In addition, its roughness provides grip for animals to land and crawl away. Developed for the project by ecologist Jeroen Mos, the bat roosts have been integrated into the tower and spaced out at heights of five, ten and fifteen meters, with bat boxes placed behind them to mimic tree hollows. They provide shelter for specific tree-dwelling species such as the common noctule, daubenton’s bat and the northern pipistrelle during the winter, breeding and summer periods.
Because of the poor accessibility of the site and the limited space between the trees, the tower was prefabricated in a workshop with the supporting structure and facade panels assembled on site. For the purpose of longer durability and a low-maintenance tower, the main load-bearing structure is provided with a thermally modified wooden cladding that protects the structure from the weather.
A stable construction
The main load-bearing structure consists of laminated Douglas fir columns. Douglas is sapwood-poor, and thus free of the non-core, least durable part of the tree. The tower’s stability comes from L-shaped supporting columns in each corner, and three wind trestles, two in the closed facades running from foundation to roof and one in the open facade.
Underneath the tower, the tower’s base is made of concrete and includes a bat cellar where animals can hide and hibernate in the colder winter months.
The tower is extremely slender: ratio 1 to 5. On top of the basement, the tower is founded on a framework of only 5 x 5mtrs to minimize C02 emissions.
The construction is tailored to the desired aesthetic image, both modest and characteristic, and to maximize the experience of the environment when visiting the viewpoint.
Impact on nature
The basement of the tower is equipped with artificial habitats; hollow stones and crevices where species such as big-eared bat and fringe-tailed bat safely hibernate. Wooden cabinets are integrated at several heights, custom-made for tree-dwelling species such as ruddy bat, water bat and rough legged bat. The cabinets serve during the winter, mating and summer periods, as well as as a breeding ground. All this with a view to sustainable conservation and protection of local biodiversity. Man is a guest of nature here.
Physical impact
The new provincial road N69 now stands out due to a series of uniquely designed bridges along a length of 13 km and is flanked by a series of icons, site-specific works of (land)art. The Watchtower participates in this ambitious program to indicate and integrate connections in the landscape. The tower itself is a landmark, visible from afar. The climb to the top and the palpable connection with nature encourages rest.
A text by poet Elianne van Elderen completes the piece: “Let me wish you a winter’s sleep, keep you inside me, blow dreams into your fur.”
• All landscape architecture offices involved in the design of landscape:
H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten
• All architecture offices involved in the design:
NEXT architects
• Other credits you need or wish to write:
Boskalis Nederland, Jeroen Mos / Mos Ecologisch Advies en Onderzoek, WSP, Reijrink Staalconstructie, Van De Sande, Leverancier Acon Houtconstructies, Adviesburo CK2, Elianne van Elderen
