The observatory is situated upon Ounasvaara Hill in Rovaniemi, Finland which lies within the Arctic Circle. The contextual landscape provides tourists and locals access to the observatory through hiking trails. The form was inspired by Nordic vernacular building traditions such as those of the ‘fiskehjell’ and stands on weather resistant timber, piles thawing the boundary between land and fjord. These timber-supports also emulate the surrounding texture of the pine forest and ensure that the bridge leaves a minimal footprint in the landscape.

The bridge is raised above the ground to the level of the tree crowns. Deriving the shape of the structure was led by the concept of a panoramic view of the vast landscape. The triangulated roof provides for a strong rigid structure but then mimics the curves of a jellyfish. The Bioluminescence of the Medusa jellyfish parallels that of Aurora Borealis and is further accentuated by the glow of the hanging lights scattered throughout the observatory. The unparalleled location manifests with nature in its purest form: surrounding forest and breath-taking Northern Lights.