Australian architect Rick Chen has been announced as the joint winner of the ReTHINKing Architecture competition, "Viewpoint in Pulpit Rock." Chen's design, called "Fragile," was awarded first prize out of 195 proposals in the competition, which sought a creative take on Preikstolen, a popular natural viewpoint and rest area 600 meters above the Lysefjorden in southwest Norway.
The competition focused on the three themes of nature, limit, and scale, and Chen's resulting design seeks to highlight the importance of engaging with nature, rather than using it as a backdrop for social media. Thus, viewers are encouraged to make personal connections with the space and create a meaningful dialogue.
"Instead of truly inspiring visitors, ‘nature’ sometimes becomes a mere spectacle for amusement, then digital collectable on social media. The proposed viewpoint at Pulpit Rock is where one leaves their own comfort zone and stands in solitude against nature," writes the architect.
With this in mind, the design forces viewers to pay attention to their environment by creating a difficult-to-maneuver space in which viewers are reminded of their vulnerability and insignificance in comparison to nature.
Learn more about the project here.
News via Rick Chen.
