Maliau Basin Projects

Previous posts describe the challenge of designing buildings for an untouched and fragile area of outstanding natural beauty. It is impossible to work in this environment without being aware of the threats to it’s exisitence, hence posts have often digressed into related subjects such as reforestation, ecosystem services and palm oil plantations. This post will come back to the point and show you some design proposals.

Some of these camps may get built in the next couple of years, the Seraya Camp and Maliau Falls observation deck in particular. The others may not get out of the ground for five years or so, such is the way of these things. The important point is that designs for all the camps and trails between them illustrate an environmentally responsible strategy for development. Even if they don’t get built in the form illustrated here, their design should act as a guiding brief for the next 10 years or longer.

The final package of detail designs includes five research or trekking camps, observation decks, an observation tower, information centre, walkways, bridges and a staff house. The following are a selection of images from those projects.

Map of trails and trekking camps (conservation area shaded green). Projects follow the trails in a clockwise direction starting at Agathis Camp.