Bat Tower in Griffis Sculpture Park To Raise Awareness for Bats

Standing next to a pond in the <a href="http://www.griffispark.org/" target="_blank">Griffis Sculpture Park</a> south of Buffalo, NY is the Bat Tower, a new vertical cave designed to house our furry, flying friends and raise awareness about a disease that is threatening their populations. Designed by Joyce Hwang, an architect at the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/news/11707" target="_blank">University at Buffalo</a> and principal at <a href="http://www.antsoftheprairie.com/?page_id=2" target="_blank">Ants on the Prarie</a>, the Bat Tower stands about 12 feet tall and is comprised of five triangular cavities that simulate a cave where bats can crawl in and safely rest. This work of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/02/leading-architects-unveil-luxury-bug-hotels-in-london/" target="_blank">pest architecture</a> is already serving as a home for bats and will be officially dedicated on October 2nd.

The tower is constructed out of five triangular plywood sections with squished like an accordion to provide tight narrow spaces for the bats.

The tower was installed in Griffis Sculpture Park right next to a pond, which hosts a large population of mosquitoes and other insects.

The bats can crawl into these tight narrow spaces to rest and sleep, and the holes in the plywood keep air circulating.

Around four hundred pieces of plywood make up the 12 foot tower.

The bat tower was designed and constructed last spring and then permanently installed in the park in June.

Dedication of the tower will occur on October 2nd in the park.

Joyce Hwang led a team of students at the University at Buffalo in the design and construction of the bat tower.

The University at Buffalo students stacked together the sections in the park after their semester had ended.

The tower is held together with steel bolts and cables in order to withstand wind forces.

Each section has a series of holes drilled in to help air move throughout the tower so the bats can breath.

The tower is located right next to where the bats will find their food.

The exterior of the tower is covered in a dark rust stained cover that will help heat the interior to keep the bats warm.

Hwang hopes to use the research from this bat tower to help construct more bat habitats in the future.