# Open-Grid Observation Towers Atelier GABU Builds a Timber Lookout Facing The Brunehaut Ruins By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-11-09 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/open-grid-observation-towers References: [designboom](https://www.designboom.com/architecture/atelier-gabu-observation-tower-french-hillside-timber-translucent-fabric-brunebasse)  Atelier GABU built ‘Brunebasse’ as a [temporary observation tower](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/titlis-tower) that opens wide views instead of enclosing them. Created for the 2021 edition of L’Écho du Marteau, the timber structure sits on a hillside in Vaudémont, northeastern France, facing the stone ruins of Brunehaut. The tower uses slender dimensional lumber in a permeable grid, with select bays wrapped in a [semi-transparent textile veil](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paviljong-rosendal). That fabric filters daylight while keeping sightlines open toward the fields and tree canopy, and the unroofed upper deck gives visitors an [elevated lookout over the landscape](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/columbia-river-valley-lookout). Hand-assembled without mechanical tools, Brunebasse treats low-impact fabrication as part of the design. Atelier GABU shows how a temporary pavilion can act as both viewpoint and frame, using light materials to contrast a heavy historic ruin rather than competing with it. Image Credit: ©Atelier GABU, [designboom](https://www.designboom.com/architecture/atelier-gabu-observation-tower-french-hillside-timber-translucent-fabric-brunebasse), [designboom](https://www.designboom.com/architecture/atelier-gabu-observation-tower-french-hillside-timber-translucent-fabric-brunebasse) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.2/10 - Popularity: 17% | Activity: 8% | Freshness: 100% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Permeable Timber Architecture:** Open-grid wood structures introduce lightweight, low-impact spatial experiences that preserve visibility while reducing material intensity in temporary and public design. - **Heritage-framing Installations:** Contemporary pavilions positioned near ruins create new interpretive layers for cultural sites without physically altering historic assets. - **Tool-free Fabrication:** Hand-assembled construction methods highlight opportunities for accessible, reversible building systems suited to remote locations, events, and community-led projects. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture:** Temporary lookout structures expand the role of architecture as a minimal intervention that shapes perception rather than enclosing space. - **Tourism:** Scenic installations can transform underused landscapes and heritage destinations into experiential attractions with modest infrastructure requirements. - **Sustainable Construction:** Lightweight timber and textile assemblies demonstrate how circular, low-impact materials can support short-term builds with reduced environmental footprints. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Coastal Timber Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casa-guaec-project.md) - [Mass Timber Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-by-fuy.md) - [Forest Canopy Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/treebox.md) - [Timber Forest Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bolster-pavilion.md) - [Earthen Timber Viewing Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pujiang-platform-hill.md) - [Bamboo Pavilion Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-veil-tower.md) - [Festival Timber Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gabonsa-pavilion.md) - [Interactive Timber Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buddha-pavilion.md) - [Circular Timber Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/timber-pavilion.md)