Cheverie Camera Obscura Brickshell

The parabolic brickshell camera obscura views the tidal landscape. It was built for a non-profit community society that advocates for the the restoration and interpretation of the tidal salt marsh at the mouth of the river. The vertical rise of water is a dynamic translator of the extensive horizontality. The camera obscura acts as a device to record this phenomenon. Observation is enhanced by the introduction of various markers, real-time measuring devices, and objects recording points in recent tidal and solar cycles or recent weather events. A seven-year longitudinal study of the conversion of the brackish marsh to salt is nearing completion. The location is a historic stopping place for tourists and shore residents alike. Its view of Cape Split is sensational, the long beach for recreational use is alluring, and the trails along the river appeal to birdwatchers and hikers. There are many camera obscura pavilions in the world acting as tourist destinations. The image of the marsh is displayed on a viewing table in the centre of the pavilion and guides can point and draw on the table as a way of explaining activity on the marsh in real time. In addition, the pavilion will be able to project images on to the table captured at high tide or in other seasons. The use of a recording device to register the site is particularly appropriate where there is a fifty-foot tide only evident for a few hours a day. The structure extends into the landscape and will create a small outdoor theatre for nature talks, a point of orientation for the trails built on the seven-hectare site.