Biosphere Shelter Conrhenny - original proposal

In autumn 2019 with help of Michal Kotvan we were shortlisted and chosen as a runner-up in a competition organised by Culture Vannin of the Isle of Man. The goal was to design an outdoor public shelter celebrating the UNESCO Biosphere accolade given to the entire island.

UNESCO Biosphere is about celebrating the unique connection between people and the natural environment. It is about the beautiful landscapes of the Isle of Man, its biodiversity and its inhabitants who care for their surroundings while enjoying the nature around them.

With our design we wanted to celebrate this connection. A connection with the cultural heritage of the Isle of Man, which is present in the local community. It is created by the people and gives them a sense of identity and belonging in return.

The basic structure is a shelter built from wooden poles gradually blending into the young forest.

To represent the connection between people and nature we placed animal boxes on top of some of the posts. There is an owl box, a bat box, boxes for smaller birds and insect hotels placed at different heights.

There are multiple citizen science projects and initiatives on the island actively building animal shelters. We want to represent them, give them a chance to contribute and be seen.

There is also a tiny fairy house placed on the top of one of the posts. It is small, and creates a little game for visitors who want to find it. The fairy house closes the circular connection between people, culture and nature.

Here is little introduction from the future visitors:

The shelter is positioned at the crossing of two paths and its entrance is facing the view over Douglas bay.

The overall footprint is a 20m in diameter but the actual covered shelter is smaller. The base of the design is a grid in which we placed 100x100mm wooden posts. In the center they are very dense, becoming gradually less dense as they spread further from the center and blend with the surrounding nature. We wanted to create a seamless gradient effect when seen from a distance.

The structure is created using parametric design, first building the gradient base on a square grid, then cutting out an ellipse shape. This way we get an inner space in the form of a dome. The inner space is protected, but open to ensure that enough light gets in whilst also allowing visitors to see the view.