pavilion with playful swings and hammocks floats in a bruges canal, by OBBA and dertien 12

for the duration of the bruges triennial – on until 16 september 2018 – architecture studio OBBA, in collaboration with local architects dertien 12, has installed a pavilion that floats on one of the city’s numerous canals, inviting people to walk on it, rest, reflect, and enjoy the water. among the public artworks and installations that have emerged around the historic city, including selgascano’s organic structure and STUDIOKCA’s plastic whale, ‘the floating island’ blurs the boundary between everyday life and art, ‘making a calm change in the familiar landscapes of bruges.’ 

all photos by kyungsub shin

in a long, streamlined shape, OBBA and dertien 12‘s floating pavilion consists of pontoons on the water, metal frames, deck plates, metal pillars, upper metal rails connecting the pillars, and rope curtains embracing the rails. reacting to natural light and wind, the curtains blur the boundary between the structure and its surroundings, making familiar landscapes feel fresh again. various spaces in different shapes and forms along the linear trail allow visitors to rest, sunbathe, play on the swings, or lay on the wide rope hammocks.

the bruges triennial 2018: liquid city is on from 5 may to 16 september, with various constructions by contemporary artists and architects spread throughout the city’s historic center.

project info:

architect: obba (sojung lee & sangjoon kwak), dertien12 (tom gantois)

project team: obba (hwanjong yeo), dertien12 (jason slabbynck)

structure engineer: thekujo (byungsoon park), util (pieter ochelen)

construction: pontoon (janson bridging), steel part (westland), ropes (helix)