More than half of Estonia is covered by dense forests, all of which are open to backpacking, hiking, and camping. To celebrate the beauty and harmony of nature, as well as how forests factor into many aspects of Estonian culture, architecture students at the Estonian Arts Academy decided to create structures that would help hikers appreciate the rich tapestry of sounds — and the beautiful silence — that these forests have to offer.
What did they build? Giant megaphones!
The megaphones were assembled by students of the Estonian Arts Academy, and were designed by student Birgit Õigus.
They all worked as a team under the supervision of their advisors.
Made of wood, the megaphones have a sleek, geometrical design. They even caught the attention of popular Estonian author Valdur Mikita, who described them as being audio libraries of the forest. “It’s a place to listen, to browse the audible book of nature — there hasn’t really been a place like that in Estonia before.”
The megaphones were shipped to the Pähni Nature Center in Võrumaa, near the Latvian border.
They were installed in one of Estonia’s many thick, wild forests.
Hikers can stop and enjoy them whenever they want.
While sitting in one of these megaphones, one can hear the unique sounds of the forest, from the chirping of birds to the rustling of leaves. Each megaphone is positioned to capture the sounds of a different area of the forest, so no two megaphones ever amplify the same thing.
The wooden structures also double as small shelters for hikers.
They make perfect little seating areas for adventurers who need a break.
They may look a little odd in the middle of all these trees, but there’s something kind of magical about them, too.
(via BoredPanda)
The megaphones are free to any and all hikers, and their creators hope that pausing for a moment in these strangely beautiful structures will help people appreciate the forests of Estonia — and nature in general. The Nature Center is also pleased with the addition of the megaphones, and representatives say that they may even hold small seminars in them in the future.
