Flussbad Talks

Talk series curated and moderated by Ilka & Andreas Ruby

Believe it or not, it does get really hot in Berlin in the summer. And the swimming pools get more than crowded. Wouldn’t it be great to have a refreshing quick dip right in the city centre, next to the Museum Island, in the Spree? But how would that be possible whatsoever?

The project “Flussbad Berlin,” initially developed by realities:united in 2012, calls for a radical approach towards historical urban spaces and a re-appropriation of public space that goes well off beyond the usual notions of sustainability. By firstly developing a water park that would filter the water on the west bank of the Museum Island, and subsequently transforming the existing access to the waterfront to meet its new program, “Flussbad” vigorously reclaims the Spree for the citizens and the visitors of Berlin, as it offers them a playful, alive and definitely refreshing point of reference in the urban fabric.

“Flussbad Talks,” curated and moderated by Ilka & Andreas Ruby, launch a series of public and private talks that contemplate on the issues raised by the proposal and seek for even further support for it. Flussbad Talk #1 was held on 12.06.2015, in the occasion of the MakeCity Festival, in Tschechiches Kulturzentrum and brought together Tim Edler, Rainer Hehl, Van Bo Le-Mentzel and Franz Sumnitsch to discuss about “How to Empower an Idea?.” Three more Flussbad Talks are about to be held during the autumn of 2015 and winter of 2016, regarding the topics “Infrastructure as Public Space,” “Commons, Crowd-funding & Co” and “Performative Monument Protection.”

→Visit Flussbad Berlin website and facebook page
→Watch a video of Flussbad Talk #1
→Read an article about the project on Citylab