TIJ bird hide

In the Scheelhoek nature reserve, near Stellendam in the Netherlands, the TIJ bird hide takes the spectacular form of a giant egg resting on the sand, downstream of the Haringvliet barrier opened in 2018 to restore the biodiversity of this former arm of the North Sea. Designed by the Dutch practices RO&AD and RAU, assisted by the Finnish firm Geometria, the structure rests on a Zollinger-type timber frame: 471 Accoya beams from 1.70 to 2 metres, assembled in a honeycomb pattern with thousands of spruce dowels, with no visible metal fixings. The lower part, flooded at spring tides, is in rot-proof Accoya wood of durability class 1; the upper part is in pine, crowned with a roof of reeds harvested on site. Entirely demountable and reusable, the building illustrates the circular approach of Accoya wood, certified Cradle to Cradle Gold.