On the Way to the Sea

DERMAN VERBAKEL ARCHITECTURE

“On the Way to the Sea” transforms the space that lies between the city and the sea into a place of its own rather than an in-between passage. A series of frames carefully positioned between city edge and the seashore host public activities, creating a new use for this in-between space. The installation invites inhabitants and passersby to intervene and create opportunities for events and unexpected interactions by manipulating different elements integrated within the frames. In the gap between city and sea, the project encourages collective and individual interactions that range from urban events to beach activities.

A series of fixed frames containing movable elements creates a basic infrastructure in which users have the freedom to alter the urban space and fit it to their own private uses. Starting at the city edge, visitors can start engaging with the space through an entrance ramp at the individual scale, leading to a balcony facing the street, followed by an “unfolded” living room constructed of elements that can be used as walking surface, table or chair. The installation then transforms toward the beach into a series of more public spaces such as “picnic on the lawn” – a flexible structure with movable benches and tables turning around an axis used for social events. Together, the elements create a micro-climate where people can meet, play, eat, talk or just hang out, thereby producing a platform for a wide range of possible interactions, from daily uses to special events.