New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
The project is built on a former railroad tar dump. During excavation, the project team discovered a civil-war-era building under the project site which required a structural redesign of the foundation.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
The black pine tar exterior treatment references the nearby train tracks and Virginia's history as a tar producing state.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Clear-coated raw steel handrails and solid wood construction help to situate the project in Radford, a post-industrial Appalachian town.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
The largest modular platform was prefabricated offsite and craned into place only six inches away from adjacent trees.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
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New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech students custom fabricate the project's structural hardwood CLT panels in a former tobacco warehouse.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech researchers developed the high-performance hardwood CLT panels from upcycled, locally-sourced low-grade Yellow Poplar. The custom panels outperform all other CLT available in the US market and their local production kept carbon costs low.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
To prevent damage from moisture infiltration, all screw holes were impregnated with liquid wax during assembly. Virginia Tech's indoor, offsite assembly space provided a controlled environment for modular assembly.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Photo credit:
Kay Edge
New River Train Observation Tower
Virginia Tech
Road access to the site is paralleled by an abandoned rail line that the project team converted into a nature walk. The site steeply descends 16 feet from the street level to the furthermost viewing platform.
Photo credit:
Kay Edge and Edward Becker
Winning Projects in the 2022 Prix d’excellence en architecture Unveiled
Ordre des architectes du Québec
Project: Expérience chuteDesign: Daoust Lestage Lizotte SteckerClient: Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq)Location: Capitale-Nationale Region
Photo credit:
Maxime Brouillet
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