<translation>Observation Tower Mum</translation>

photo: David Kubík, 2015

“I see the construction of observation towers as an expression of joy for life.”

33 meters high, 96 steps, 606 meters above sea level. These are the numbers associated with the new observation tower, which was ceremonially opened on Friday, June 19, 2015, at 10:00 am after eight years of preparation on the Krušné Mountains in Křivoklátsko. It is called Máminka and stands on the site of an old triangulation tower, which brave adventurers have been visiting for a hundred years. It has the shape of a triangular pyramid with a weather vane at the top. The tower was designed by architects Martin Rajniš, David Kubík, Martin Kloda, and Tomáš Kosnar from the architecture studio Huť architektury, who successfully brought the project to completion.


“When I was thinking about Máminka, I remembered my childhood and a triangulation point that I loved to climb. During its construction, they used a triangular structure, which is simple and rational,” explains Martin Rajniš. It was here that he drew inspiration for the shape of Máminka. He believes that observation towers are among the few buildings that are very positively received by the public in the Czech Republic. “It is mainly a service to people. You are outside, in nature, looking around, everywhere is quiet, and when there is a beautiful view, it makes you feel good. The view from the tower is extraordinary,” says Martin Rajniš. 


However, the Máminka tower had to wait eight years for its construction. The leadership of the village of Hudlice was looking for a suitable financing method, and eventually, the construction was incorporated into the grant title Increasing the Attractiveness of Hudlicko as a Tourism Destination, which will also finance the construction of a nature trail around the Krušné Mountains, the furnishings of Josef Jungmann's house and its electrification, and the strengthening of access roads in the Hudlické Rocks.


“Nothing happened for a long time, and then things started to happen. The tower project was revived, and we were contacted again to take it on,” recounts Martin Rajniš. Thanks to the fact that his team has accumulated a wealth of experience with wooden structures over the years, they were able to further enhance Máminka. “We recalculated the statics and revised the structure. We chose high-quality materials – deep-dyed larch and added a number of elements that help the tower last longer,” he adds. The architects placed a round oak staircase in the tower, which, according to Rajniš, his team has been perfecting for many years. “It is a quick, cheap, and good-looking construction. A threaded rod runs through its center, we used oak and hung the steps from above. They are over twenty meters high. Above them is a round viewing platform, which is protected by a transparent membrane. This is to protect the staircase from rain and ensure the long dry life of the tower,” clarifies Martin Rajniš. “At the top, we placed a weather vane. It is a symbol of our buildings, especially observation towers. It signals the direction of the wind, indicates direction, is reliable, precise, and yet vibrant.”


Observation towers designed by the Huť architektury studio are always wooden and transparent. They appear simple, yet they are built to withstand weather conditions and can resist great forces. “When you look into the crown of a tree, it is also transparent. Just like our observation towers. Natural beauty, natural materials, simplicity, and lightness. And so is Máminka,” adds the renowned Czech architect. 


The goal of his studio's effort is to connect the public with modern architecture. To help people find what is close and dear to them in the buildings. “My big plan and goal is to switch the railway of architecture back to the people. But we are just at the beginning,” adds Martin Rajniš.