Pavilion 't IJ (a pun - it can mean both an egg and an ebb and flow) is built on the shores of Haringvleet Bay in the province of South Holland, near the town of Stellandam. Haringvlite, which is part of the Meuse-Rhine delta system, has been separated from the sea by locks since 1953 and over the past decades has turned into a freshwater lake, while its ecosystem has changed significantly and biodiversity has decreased.
In November 2018, the floodgates were opened to restore the natural wealth and water quality of Haringvlit. Now an influx of fish is expected there, the emergence of a new, salt-resistant and salt-loving environment, an increase in biodiversity in the adjacent protected areas. One of them, Skhelhook, is the site of the 't IJ birdwatching pavilion to commemorate the change.
Skhelhook includes reed beds inside the sluice and dam line and flat sand islands outside. Common and variegated terns, spoonbills and other species nest on these islands. Several biotopes alternate on the seashore, attracting as habitats of coastal swallows, charadriiformes and the same terns. A walking route has been laid past them to the pavilion from the harbor-marina of Stellendam, where there is also a parking lot, the last section of which is enclosed in a tunnel so as not to disturb the birds.
The tunnel is made of recycled azobe boards and mooring piles. Outside, the tunnel is covered with sand, and there are artificial nests for shore swallows.
The pavilion itself is shaped like a speckled tern egg, the symbol of the area. He was placed in a "nest" of sand, as a real bird would do, and "feathers" were added there - chestnut wood posts and reeds, as well as small dunes.
The structure itself was designed according to the parametric method and produced at the factory according to the File-to-Factory scheme: 402 small wooden parts assembled on site, as a result, gave large spans.
The lower part of the pavilion will be flooded several times a year, so it was made from Accoya wood-based material. Above the line of possible flooding, pine wood was used, and on the outside this part of the structure is covered with local reeds. Cross-laminated timber and concrete were used for the floor.
The pavilion can be completely disassembled and reworked (which will be done sooner or later, it is not designed for eternal life) - without harm to nature or humans.
