Among the mangroves of the Dongzhai Nature Reserve in Haikou, on the Hainan Island, the the Architectural Design and Research Institute  of the South China University of Technology has built an observation tower that rises from the forest like an iconic binocular sculpture for exploring the vegetation and the firmament with the gaze.

The cylindrical structure, dedicated to scientific research, tourism and birdwatching, is 33.5 metres high and wrapped in a light, perforated shell of light aluminium sheets, evoking the texture of tree leaves and allowing light and reflections to filter through in the darkness, transforming the building at night into a lantern that gently illuminates the landscape so as not to disturb the local wildlife.

An internal spiral staircase leads to three viewing platforms on different levels, while a cavity between the outer shell and the staircase acts as a filter, protecting the natural environment from the artificial one. At the top, like a cathartic upward journey, a large void like a full moon offers a spectacular view of the sea and frames the moon, a symbol in Chinese poetry of eternal cyclicality and cosmic harmony, of which this architecture is a small fragment.

Opening image: Courtesy Scutad