A floating pool in the River Spree, Berlin

A harbored barge has been transformed into a floating swimming pool and a whole recreation area has been developed around it

In the tradition of old riverside open­air baths, AMP Arquitectos (Tenerife) in association with Gilbert Wilk and Susanne Lorenz have designed Badeschiff, an urban recreation area in Berlin intended to connect the Spree River with the city life. But as the Spree itself is far too polluted to permit safe swimming, the idea was to transform a ship, the so-called Schubleichter (middlepiece of a transport-boat common on the Spree), into a swimming pool, where the upper parts of the boats were removed. The heated pool is open to the public for about 4 months (the 2018 bathing season lasts from May 1^st to September 9^th, while the place also serves as a focal point of urban culture and entertainment, ideal for festivals, occasional beach parties etc. In fact, the location is well-ranked in tripadvisor, with many visitors commenting “Definitely worth a visit” about it.

Berliners used to bath in the Spree river before the war conflicts of the 20th century, but as it played an important role in the industrial development of the city, it was stigmatized by lack of hygiene. Badeschiff, having a construction cost of 400,000 €, has changed that as it is now a side-river place where Berliners meet at any time of the day. The project arose from the initiative of Stadtkunstprojekte e.V. which was founded in 2001 with the aim of promoting art in public spaces and the dialogue between the plastic arts, architecture and urban planning. 

Photos source: Metalocus