Star Gazers

About a year ago I featured on my weekly page Minotaur, an art installation located in the Kielder Water and Forest Park in England near the Scottish border. Well, today brings news that Charles Barclay Architects have won a Kielder Partnership/RIBA competition for the Kielder Observatory, beating nearly 230 other entries in the two-stage competition.



According to the architects,

The Kielder observatory is to be a democratic observation platform for amateur astronomers, with two permanent a stelescopes and space for individuals to set up their own personal telescopes. The building typology is the timber pier or bridge, that is usable both as an observatory at night and as a viewing platform during the day.

In addition to the Minotaur, the Kielder Park also includes a Skyspace by James Turrell, a Belvedere by Softroom, and a sculpture trail with numerous pieces of art. This latest component in their embrace of art and architecture is set for completion next year.