Located within Missouri's Elephant Rocks State Park, Ascent reimagines the traditional observatory as an immersive visitor experience. Rather than creating a singular destination, the design extends the existing trail network through a series of lightweight fabric installations and architectural interventions that encourage exploration, curiosity, and a deeper connection with the surrounding landscape.

Woven between the trees, the ephemeral fabric structures gently mark the journey before leading visitors to a lightweight observatory, where elevated pathways and layered platforms gradually ascend through the canopy. Each level reveals new perspectives of the park's iconic granite formations, while translucent materials, open structural systems, and changing daylight minimize visual impact and allow light, shadow, and the surrounding environment to become integral parts of the experience.