45-meter spiraling tower lets you walk above the trees

If you find hiking trails and walkways that stay on the ground a bit passé, or maybe if you just never outgrew your love of treehouses, then you may want to turn your attention to the forest of Gisselfeld Klosters Skove, about one hour south of Copenhagen in Denmark.

This preserved forest is about to be home to The Treetop Experience, a 600-meter treetop walkway that connects to a 45-meter-tall spiraling observation tower. The walkway and the observation tower, designed by EFFEKT, are one continuous ramp accessible by all regardless of physical condition. The walk will follow and cross a creek, lakes, and wetlands.

Rendering courtesy EFFEKT.

The 600-meter-long path is split into a higher and a lower walkway and passes through different varieties of forest while taking care to minimize any disturbance to the environment. The high walkway passes through the oldest parts of the forest and features a series of activities for different user groups to learn about and enjoy the forest. The low walkway and the tower are both located in the younger areas of the forest.

Among the features along the path will be an aviary containing different species of birds; a flat loop that allows visitors to walk around a tree crown and study the treetops up close; and the Amphi, a stepped seating pocket that allows walkers to take a rest or enjoy the forest view.

Rendering courtesy EFFEKT.

The tower is the culminating feature along the walkway. It takes on an hourglass shape with a thin waist and an enlarged base and crown. This shape makes the tower more stable, increases the observation deck area at the top, and allows for better contact to the forest canopy. The tower rotates 120 degrees, which allows the use of straight structural elements that result in a stiff, efficient, and visually striking structure.

The Treetop Experience will be a component of Camp Adventure, an existing adventure sports facility that includes treetop climbing and zip lines, and will begin at the Camp Adventure Farmhouse.

Rendering courtesy EFFEKT.

Rendering courtesy EFFEKT.

Image courtesy EFFEKT.

Rendering courtesy EFFEKT.