After quite a successful summer of the bathing ship (constructed by AMP arquitectos together with Gil Wilk and the Berlin artist Susanne Lorenz) and in response to the popular demand, in autumn 2005 the construction got a temporary roof (designed by Wilk-Salinas Architekten), in order to keep in use during the winter. The base area of this roof was limited to the existing arrangement and consists of an structure with three lengthwise airy parts formed by membranes, which divide the interior into three functional areas: lounge, sauna and the bathing ship. These areas are connected by means of additional areas including the toilets and the changing rooms.
The roof construction consists of elliptical wooden trusses which are spanned by a two-layered membrane.
The use of translucent and in some areas transparent surfaces pretends to create a connection with the surroundings. The space between membranes is filled with pressurized air in order to achieve an optimal insulation that guarantees a pleasant temperature (25°C) even at extremely cold temperatures outside in spite of being a quite light construction.
To minimise the building costs standard materials were used and its processing was done with a minimal complexity. To guarantee a fast assemblage and disassemblage it was very important to create simple elements to join the parts which could be easily assembled manually. The different elements of the entire roof structure make possible to mount and remove all those parts without using a crane. These elements can be stored over summer or alternatively be used as a pavilion ashore.
The bathing ship does not only provide Berlin with the possibility of bathing "in" the Spree in front of the urban scenery of the eastern harbour during summer: it also offers an opportunity to enjoy sauna and bathing during the cold months of the year with a panoramic view of the river Spree in winter until springtime, when the bathing ship goes back to its original form.
