2021 Bird House — TóngTóngTóng

“Bird House”

︎︎︎Design, concept and production
Tong Zhou, Tien Chen

︎︎︎Date
October 2021

︎︎︎Status
Young Arcchitects Competition
WWF Observation Cabins
Honorable Mention

︎︎︎Location
Brooklyn (NY)

︎︎︎Client
Young Arcchitects Competition & WWF

︎︎︎Credits
Pictures by Tong Zhou

︎︎︎Description
“Bird Houses” is a low-impact, sustainable design proposal which aims to create spaces for humans and wildlife to coexist in nature. It consists of a visitor center and three types of observation structures situated at different elevation points: a sunken space, a ground level cabin, and an elevated watchtower.

All structures utilize wattle and daub building technique, a method in which woven lattices of wooden strips are daubed with wet soil, clay, sand, or straw. Like large birds’ nests, the project should be constructed from collected wood and mud from the surrounding environment, and must have minimal impact on the natural landscape. The design of each observation structure features large openings and external scaffolding in order to attract wild birds to perch.

These resting points are framed by small viewing windows behind which human visitors can observe. The project’s intent is to foster an observation experience opposite to the conventional zoo typology. “Bird Houses” offers the opportunity to closely observe wildlife in their natural habitat.