Exhibition in the swimming pool: Lichtenberg’s old city pool in its new, dark splendor

»You could play on several levels here. You have one hallway, the ground floor, and theoretically you could go even deeper, so three floors in one room.” – “And what would you do with the changing rooms? Would that be funny?” – “My idea wouldn’t be suitable for young people…”

We look from the gallery into the dark room, atmospheric music is wafting, three people are leaning on the parapet. Above there is night sky behind the windows. The high hall is flanked by cabins on two floors; the floor plate lies above the light blue tiles of the pool, interrupted by a glass strip. Sparsely placed spots mark the pillars of the women’s swimming pool, its jutting bricks cast sharp shadows.

Above water

Photo: private

Anne Hahn is the author of novels and non-fiction books and swims the waters of the world for “nd”.

It is the second evening of the exhibition »STADTBAD reloaded«, which takes place in the former Lichtenberg municipal swimming pool. You can get four weekends after purchasing one Onlinetickets Between 12 and 8 p.m. stroll through the old bath, whose water was finally drained in 1991.

“Look at the towers up there,” my son points to the corner stair towers with their small balconies. “Professional dancers could dance in there,” I interject, and our ideas soon start flowing: artists on a rope, an illuminated ceiling, hanging sculptures and a water simulation. A transparent floor, a dynamic installation or actually letting in water and fish… We continue to fantasize as we look at the art exhibition monitors in the changing rooms. The exhibition with its 154 screens uses as little electricity as running one and a half PlayStation 5s, so the darkness is intentional and suits this location perfectly.

My son organizes events himself with friends Festivalhe is excited about this 96 year old building, the high ceiling, the atrium, the rooms with bathtubs and shower rooms. We admire the wrought iron grilles, intact tiles and the facade sculptures.

At the exit we get into conversation with the eye-catching ladies. »If you rent this hall, we are included! We are event workers and have fire protection training and transport paramedics, which means we also intervene in emergencies,” explains the boss and follows up; Music events are not possible; the baby ward of the Sana Clinic is opposite. Otherwise everything you can imagine. They’ve already had a wedding here, the long night of trainees, film shoots, exhibitions, one Foto-Tour. You can only let 190 men in at a time: “We have to stick to the evacuation plan!”

When the “Hupe” on Hubertusstrasse opened in 1928 after several construction stops, it offered two indoor swimming pools, a sun terrace, a gym, a sauna, a foot massage and a hairdresser – and breathed the spirit of expressionism. By 1991, thousands of children learned to swim here. Today the bathroom is involved uncertain future like an enchanted castle, its interior like a magical cave. “We love it,” the boss calls after us into the Berlin night.

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