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The Abu Dhabi Flamingo Observation Tower competition tasked participants for creating a small-scale observation platform within Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba Wetland Reserve. Intended as a new architectural landmark for the wetlands, the project was to supplement the visitor experience center, trails, and bird hide already located within the reserve. The jury looked to each project’s environmental responsibility, as well as energy-efficient means of construction.

First prize in this competition was awarded to Bryan Fan and Shelley Xu from Australia for their Flamingo Dreams project, which turns the typical boardwalk into an experiential promenade. Their designs include a metallic structure that resembles a bird's nest and a thicket of grass, and visitors view birds through openings in the palm leaf shell.

Second prize was awarded to Natalia Wrzask, Rolando Rodriguez Leal, Jose Luis Mulás and Paola Barrenechea from the UK. Their Al Wathba Birdwalk challenges the necessity of a single focal point of observation offered by a tower, providing an elongated and sheltered platform elevated to provide multiple vantage points. Rafail Gkaidatzis and Panagiotis Dimakidis from the Netherlands took third prize for their Cube project, whose pixelated structure impressed the jury with its ability to produce a number of unique viewing spaces using the buildup of a simple module.

Visit flamingotower.beebreeders.com to see the winners of our Green and Students awards, as well as high resolution images of all winning entries, full jury comments.

1st prize

ABU DHABI FLAMINGO OBSERVATION TOWER 1st prize

2nd prize

ABU DHABI FLAMINGO OBSERVATION TOWER 2nd prize

3rd prize

ABU DHABI FLAMINGO OBSERVATION TOWER 3rd prize