META-Project Ski Overlook

When the owners of the Vanke Songhua Lake Resort in China’s Jilin province decided to add a man-made element to their resort with almost 20 miles of slopes, they turned to Beijing-based META-Project to create an overlook and observatory that would add to the entire experience without detracting from the focus. Enter “Stage of Forest,” the viewing platform, overlook, event space and observatory that rises above the picturesque surroundings on a concrete base. With cedar shingles, a unique triangular design of a reminiscent of a falling leaf and wide panoramic views of the people enjoying the slopes below, this is a structure the blends into its surroundings while also standing out from the from the snow-capped landscape below. Between the picturesque views, the portholes in the floor and all the beautiful intersections of wood, concrete and glass, this is a structure that begs to be explored.