SplitFrame

Commissioned by the Mattabeseck chapter of the Audubon Society for a wildlife sanctuary in Portland, Connecticut, SplitFrame consists of two integral pieces - a floating observation deck and an elevated viewing station - connected via a hinged staircase.  The project is situated at the end of a long berm, a remnant of the wildlife sanctuary’s former use as a commercial cranberry bog.  Using an innovative pre-cast concrete pin-foundation system for the elevated Viewing Station and a floating aluminum frame assembly for the Observation Deck on the water, the project was designed to minimize its impact on the site, both in construction and over the projected life of the structure.  Together, the two platform components provide an immersive site experience, bringing visitors out onto the water, and offering an overview of the sanctuary from the maple tree canopy above.