A concrete Fata Morgana between the lake and the desert. Elegant stairs aiming for the sky. A silhouette of a giant flamingo balancing above the sand and the water. The project for Al Wathba Wetland Reserve proposes an iconic observation point, which will bring visitors closer to the nature and the wildlife.

The observation tower is oriented along the east-west axis, providing views on two neighboring areas of the Al Wathba lake as well as posing as an iconic orientation point from the access path. The proposal works with a  typology of a two-flight staircase, materialized as a slim asymmetrical balancing concrete structure without an underground foundation.

The wider first flight ends with a lower observation platform, shaded by perforated concrete shell. The uneven perforated surface of the shell works as a camouflage for the visitors and photographers hidden behind it. The platform provides enough space for bigger groups of visitors, is handicapped accessible and oriented westwards offering stunning sunset panoramas. The narrower second flight and the higher platform on its end are dimensioned for the more isolated, tête-à-tête and extreme encounter with the sun, the sky, and the nature. Small upper platform with glass railings disappears within the majestic landscapes and the observer experiences every slightest breeze, every sunbeam and every heartbeat of his own.