The brief from the small rural village of Agridia was to design a star observatory housing two telescopes: one night sky and one solar. While the program was modest, the design team saw an opportunity to expand its ambition: to create not just a scientific facility for learning, but a place of aspiration. And help with the underlying need to regenerate the village. The goal became to embed the observatory in the local landscape and community, and position it as a national and international destination for education, discovery, and inspiration. The project faced several constraints. Budget and site constraints led to a compact, locally constructed building that harmonies with the mountainous landscape using regional materials and contractors, fostering strong community ownership and environmental sustainability. The building becomes not only a place for scientific observation, but a quiet monument to collective ambition- a celebration of curiosity, community and the cosmos.
