“The poetic metamorphosis of a rather undefined public space in the historic city center of Berlin” – Global Holcim Awards Jury
The jury appreciated the poetic metamorphosis of a rather undefined public space in the historic city center of Berlin into an activated urban landscape. The project will transform the Kupfergraben Canal, an underutilized arm of the River Spree, into a natural, self-cleaning body of water. Along this 750-meter stretch by the Museum Island, people will be able to walk, bike, swim, or just relax.
The Flussbad is more than just a big swimming pool. It proposes a playful amenity on a site that is culturally and politically loaded. The existing conglomeration of museums will be enriched with this simple but atmospheric gesture that provides a public urban recreational space both for residents and tourists.
Last updated: November 28, 2012 Zurich, Switzerland
The strength of this project is that it rightfully questions the ownership of the river, which is today exclusively used for shipping and drainage, and never for public activities. The architects have proposed necessary changes in the waste water system along this reach of the river as well as the creation of an ancillary bypass canal and a filter basin of plants in the upper segment of the canal. In combination, these changes will improve the water quality of this part of the Spree to meet the standards necessary for swimming.
In addition to its ecological and public benefits, the jury also appreciated its symbolic power. It sets a strong example for sustainable water use, wastewater management, and how these issues can be coupled with the continued urban development of the UNESCO World Heritage listed historic center of Berlin. The Flussbad will have a direct and strong impact on the quality of urban life and will make a positive ecological contribution through the remediation of the city’s waterways.
The jury commended this project because it is a convincing example of what could be achieved with challenging densely built inner city areas having a rich tradition and a stock of important heritage buildings, but where the needs of the public have been neglected over decades. The result will be a comprehensive recapture of a large waterway and its riparian fringe by the citizens, one of the most important attempts towards sustainable urban life.