The Treetop Experience
Camp Adventure Park will be located in the preserved forest, Gisselfeld Klosters Skove, around one hour south of Copenhagen, Denmark. The area is characterized by a hilly landscape, which is rare for the region, with several natural features such as lakes, creeks and wetlands. The route passes gently and sensitively through different types of woodland, minimizing disturbance to the existing surroundings. The treetop walk is split into high and low routes, with the high route passing through the oldest section of the forest and the low route, and tower, located in the younger areas.
The high route of the treetop walk is not only a walkway but also a string of features and activities for different user groups to learn about and enjoy the qualities of the forest.
A 900m-long treetop walk connected to a 45m observation tower creates a unique opportunity to take a stroll above the treetops and experience the stunning natural surroundings of the preserved forest from a new perspective. The tower is shaped to enhance the experience for the visitor, shunning the typical cylindrical shape in favor of a curved profile with a slender waist and enlarged base and crown. This creates better stability and a larger area for the viewing platform at the top of the tower; it also allows for better contact to the forest canopy. The ramp of the tower also benefits from the hyperbolic form. While keeping a fixed gradient, the geometry and spacing of the ramp fluctuates according to the changing curvature. The ramp becomes a sculptural element in itself that makes the journey to the top a unique experience.
The ramp ends in a viewing platform with spectacular 360-degree panoramic views over the surroundings. The form of the tower allows the use of straight structural elements resulting in a very stiff, efficient, and visually striking structure. The materials have been chosen using a sustainable and sensitive approach. Maintenance-free Corten steel is used for all of the structural elements which blends harmoniously with the colours of the forest, and the surface of the boardwalk and ramp is made of timber from the forest’s own production. The new treetop walk and observation tower will be part of Camp Adventure, an existing sports facility with treetop climbing paths and aerial zip-lines of up to 25m in height.
Project: Camp Adventure Park – The Treetop Experience / Location: Haslev, DK / Architect: EFFEKT / Client: Camp Adventure www.campadventure.dk / Collaborators: ARUP / Consultant role: Lead consultant / Type: Culture, recreation / Program: Treetop walk and observation tower / Area: 900 m treetop walk, 45 m observation tower / Status: Technical design and tender / Year: 2016, ongoing, planned opening ultimo 2018
