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Architects: Federico Forestiero, Fiete Wulff
- Area: 12 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Kan Suzuki, Federico Forestiero, Gema Gubi
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Manufacturers: Fundermax, Farben Kacza, Holzposslinger, Technus Schwimmsysteme
Text description provided by the architects. The Insola is a floating space for art, music, and performances in the center of Berlin. This blue urban installation is a flexible platform, it can be converted from an art gallery, into a movable music venue, a yoga studio, or a live performance stage. This project aims to generate new urban interactions between artists and open-minded people, keeping a lively cultural scene within the city.
The shortage of creative spaces in Berlin is a bitter reality. Culture is disappearing and has been pushed by gentrification to the edges of the city. The Insola is an approach in the opposite direction, a shift from land to water to reestablish cultural activities within the city’s boundaries. This project is a statement for the reappropriation of urban spaces against the diffuse process of gentrification happening in Berlin.
We designed the space as a blue framework delivering a flexible architectural artifact that adapts its structure for various events. Additionally, the Insola can be moved to different locations with a small engine, making it a movable urban installation. The idea was to create a landmark that is recognizable from distance but still blends in with the water, and the sky.
The Insola is a square platform of 12 m2 (3x4) with eight vertical pipes that extend up to 3.5 meters from the floating line. Additionally, 4 pipes raise another 3.5 meters reaching a total height of 7.0 meters. Through the chosen materials we designed a flexible space that can be adapted for different occasions and events. The structure is divided into three main parts: a floating dock, a main structural frame, and a wooden deck. The floating dock is assembled from plastic pontoons guaranteed to last 20 years within the water with 4 tons of floating capabilities. The mainframe is a combination of aluminum hollow pipes and connectors originally produced for scaffolding. Being a simple system, the structure can be quickly re-configured multiple times according to the different needs. The wooden deck is made from 15 mm pressure-treated blue panels on a series of square section wooden beams. The fixings and hardware are all galvanized or stainless steel to resist the weather conditions and the constant contact with water. To strengthen the idea of community space, we gathered locals and foreigners to help during the construction phase.
Berlin is a water city; until industrialization, the main method of transportation was water, now there are more than 180 kilometers of navigable waterways within the city limits. Many consider the River Spree to be the heart and soul of the city. In the summer the river fills with locals and tourists relaxing and doing sports near the water canals. Within this scenario, the Rummelsburger Bay is a 1.6 km long bay connected to the river. This large bay sits between the district of Friedrichshain and Lichtenberg. Surrounded by new and old residential buildings, the bay is a natural amphitheater for residents and tourists that can have a break along the shore while looking at the water. The Insola floats in the middle of the bay, acting as a landmark and as an additional space for the inhabitants of the area.
Within the first summer of 2021, we were able to work with artists, activists, musicians, and curators in creating a series of cultural events. On the weekends, people interacted with the space by relaxing after a kayak ride or a sailing tour. Our mission was to enable people to connect with the water by building a platform where everyone could hang out. We encourage anyone from Berlin and outside to use the Insola and create a new urban culture on the water.
