Kinzo Architekten, the practice previously responsible for the placemaking concept at the Center am Potsdamer Platz, has proposed a comprehensive reimagining of Berlin's Tilla-Durieux-Park and a substantial 100-meter outdoor pool.
The studio's goal is to transform the site's underutilized 485-meter sloping lawn into a year-round public sports and recreation destination. This will be anchored by a substantial 100-meter outdoor pool surrounded by timber sun decks, changing rooms, and a kiosk. A notable innovation is the seasonal adaptability of the pool, which in winter would be covered by a translucent membrane mounted on timber arches.
Kinzo Architekten's proposal, titled the Sports Spine, incorporates a variety of athletic facilities including padel courts, basketball and beach volleyball areas, callisthenics stations, and a water playground, alongside a tree grove featuring a long communal table designed to encourage lingering and social interaction throughout the day.
Image Credit: Kinzo Architekten
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Seasonal Sports Infrastructure
- Adaptable facilities that shift between summer recreation and winter enclosure create new models for year-round public space utilization.
- Urban Wellness Parks
- Integrated pools, courts, calisthenics zones, and social areas reflect growing demand for multifunctional outdoor environments centered on health and community.
- Timber-based Public Design
- Natural materials such as timber decks and arched structures signal opportunities for warmer, lower-carbon civic architecture in high-traffic urban settings.
Sectors Adopting This
- Architecture
- Park redesigns that combine placemaking, climate adaptability, and recreation infrastructure expand the role of architects in shaping resilient public destinations.
- Urban Planning
- Underused green corridors can become active civic assets through layered programming that balances sport, leisure, mobility, and social gathering.
- Recreation Facilities
- Hybrid outdoor venues with seasonal coverings and diverse athletic amenities point to new revenue and access models for public recreation operators.
