Winter spa on the boat

The first drop of clean water in the Spree: In the middle of the Berlin East Harbour (Oshafen), a reconstructed old cargo ship is being used as a public swimming pool. To make it usable year-round, the entire facility is temporarily covered in winter months. The structure consists of elliptical wooden trusses that are covered with a double-layer membrane. Translucent and transparent surfaces in selected areas create a strong cover for the outdoor space. The space between the membranes is filled with compressed air to achieve optimal sealing of the entire facility with minimal self-weight. To keep construction costs as low as possible, only standard materials were used. Great emphasis was placed on simple connectors and manual assembly to allow for quick assembly and disassembly of the structure.

Project collaborators: Thomas Freiwald, Catharine von Eitzen, Ann Kristin Hase, Fabian Lippert, Nora Müller