Cave Tower

Designed for the Bee Breeders Cave Tower competition, this project reimagines an observation tower into a landmark and visitors centre at Mývatn, Iceland, positioned above the fissure between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The structure is conceived as two mirrored volumes, split to reflect the divergent crust and allow visitors to traverse between continents as they ascend.

Drawing on fractal geometries found in nature, the form evolves from a modular square grid into triangulated elements, creating a cantilevered composition named “Jafnvægi,” meaning equilibrium in Icelandic. A steel circulation spine threads through both halves, framing views down into the Grjótagjá caves while admitting natural light from above. Prefabricated triangular components, anchored into the landscape and clad in sheet metal, give the tower a solid, sculptural presence. Translucent internal panels soften the light within, intensifying the contrast with the subterranean caves below.