Architectural studio Al Borde used blackened wood and a cement-coated canopy to form an observation deck and classroom in a protected natural area in southwestern Ecuador.

The project, called Learning Viewpoint, is located near Guayaquil in the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest ? a six-hectare preserve with a tropical dry forest ecosystem.
Al Borde's Learning Viewpoint overlooks a protected tropical forest in Ecuador
Lifted above a hillside, the wood-framed structure serves as an observation deck and outdoor classroom, particularly for school groups that often visit the area.
Cross-shaped in plan, the overlook allows a teacher or guide to stand at one end and address students spread across the two lateral wings.
Lessons can be conducted inside the Learning Viewpoint "The design promotes the collective experience of sitting in the front row," said Al Borde, a Quito-based studio.
The overlook is the first project to be completed as part of a masterplan for the preserve. The architects saw it as an opportunity to test out technologies that could be applied in future structures in the park.
Timber was used to build the structure's foundation
Standard pieces of lumber were used to build the overlook, and paint and other finishes were avoided. Instead, the team opted to char the timber using the Shou Sugi Ban technique.
"Its darkness is due to a vernacular Japanese method of wood preserving, where the surface layer is burned," the team said. "This mineralize...