Historically, watchtowers were built as a means of surveillance, a key part of a city’s fortifications. Towers used for this purpose continue to exist throughout the world. However, watchtowers in the modern-day sense are typically created as architectural viewing platforms, public spaces that offer a different perspective of the surrounding landscape. These towers are often sculptural in nature and designed to capture the imagination.
The watchtowers pictured here are wonderfully curious constructions. A mix of materials, shapes, and sizes, created by architectural studios big and small, they sit in a variety of locations. The towers act as beacons and landmarks, built as must-see attractions and ways in which to revitalize communities. At their core, after ascending to the top, they provide a new way of seeing the world.
1. Marsk Tower
The 25-meter-tall (82 feet) Marsk Tower was designed by BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group. Translated as “Marsh Tower”, it is sited on marshland in Denmark’s Wadden Sea National Park. The twisting sculptural landmark acts as an observation lookout. Built with Corten steel, the tower’s weathered, rust-like appearance blends with the natural surroundings. A central elevator ensures the tower is accessible to all who visit.
2. Viewpoint Barranca San Marcos Tultepec
This viewpoint is part of an Urban Improvement Program located in the Mexican municipality of Tultepec. Designed by Miguel Montor Arquitecto, the viewpoint stands within a cultural-sports complex, created to help in rehabilitating the area. The 25-meter-tall (82 feet) structure takes advantage of the site’s elevated location. The viewpoint and surrounding pavilions are built from several materials: concrete floors with an earth-colored pigment, steel facades, and ground rock roofs.
“Pompejus” is a watchtower in the Dutch town of Halsteren. Designed by RO&AD Architecten, the tower is situated on the Fort de Roovere, part of a historic Dutch Water Defense Line built in 1627. Leaning forward over a moat, the 25-meter-hall (82 feet) tower’s design includes a viewing platform, information space, and open-air theater.
To build the Pompejus watchtower, a 3D model was converted into “scripts” using software — flat-pack parts were then created by steelworkers and carpenters. The tower’s main structure is made from galvanized steel; its sub-structure, facade elements, stairways, and information space are made from timber.
The Závist Lookout Tower was designed by HAMR Huť architektury Martin Rajniš. Located in Dolní Břežany, in Czechia’s Central Bohemian Region, the lookout tower sits on the edge of an acropolis, part of an ancient Celtic oppida (fortified town). The tower’s mast-like construction includes: a three-sided supporting structure made of pressure-impregnated larch logs connected by smaller logs and steel joints; a series of steel rods that act to stabilize the structure; and an oak spiral staircase.
A consequence of China’s rapid urbanization, Dafang is one of more than one hundred abandoned villages in Jinxi County, Jiangxi Province. Dutch architectural studio NEXT architects was part of a group of agencies asked by the Government of Jinxi to work on the revitalization of Dafang — the government’s wish was for a Dutch influence. NEXT architects created a flexible environment in which both Chinese and Dutch artists could work. As part of the project, the studio added a new watchtower and public hall. The watchtower pays homage to Dafang’s long gone ancient lookout, with a design that recalls a Chinese “dragon column”.
“Camp Adventure” combines a treetop walkway and observation tower, set in the forest of Gisselfeld Klosters Skove, in the town of Haslev, Denmark. Designed by Effekt, the project’s 45-meter-tall (148 feet) tower has an hourglass-like figure, increasing both its stability and the observation deck’s surface area.
7. Water Tower St. Jansklooster
Zecc Architecten repurposed this water tower in Sint Jansklooster, a village in the Netherlands, as a watchtower. The design incorporates a striking wooden stairway — the raw, natural material adds a warm contrast to the tower’s concrete shell. The stairway also complements the existing staircase, creating a “spatial interaction” and zigzag effect.
This eye-catching observation tower, designed by Nordic — Office of Architecture, sits next to Elephant Lake Scenic Wetland Park in Nanchang City, China. The project creates a spatial experience by combining the architecture and landscape — the landscape design is integrated with Nanchang’s ancient water culture and the wider Elephant Lake. The twisting observation tower is in keeping with the city's tradition of building towers and has a view of the Wanshou Pagoda.
This imaginative watchtower in Seoul was designed by Unsangdong Architects. The curvy observation deck can be accessed by two sweeping stairways and an elevator. Supported by columns, the observation deck has a shiny, reflective steel underside.
In north-eastern Thailand’s Surin Province, “Elephant World” is a project initiated by the government that aims to reconnect the region’s ethnic Kui people, traditionally elephant keepers, with their beloved animals. The project, led by Bangkok Project Studio, includes a Kui village, a field for growing food, and an elephant hospital.
On the edge of Elephant World stands a 28-meter-tall (92 feet) Brick Observation Tower. Clay bricks, made using local earth, cover a concrete grid of columns and beams. In the tower’s center, a steel mesh stairway leads to views across Elephant World.
