Ripples #73

Compiled and written by Lenny Giteck

German Cop Stops BMW Convertible
Converted into Rolling Swimming Pool

Four young men ran afoul of the law when they were stopped by a German motorcycle cop who spotted them driving through the town of Eibenstock in a swimming pool. To be more precise, they were rolling down the road in a BMW convertible that had been converted into a small pool.

The interior of the vehicle was sealed with “synthetic material” (probably vinyl), sported narrow wooden decks on the sides and was filled with more than 500 gallons of water. When the BMW rounded a curve, water splashed out — which alerted the police officer that something was amiss.

The article on the German Web site spiegel.de went on to note:

In addition to the driver, the officer also found two young men sitting inside in bathing suits and a third sitting on the trunk, dipping his feet in the “pool.” The car reportedly only had one functioning gear, but could travel at speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 mph). The vehicle was also lacking a license plate.

The occupants managed to flee the scene, but the individual thought to have been the driver was later apprehended and tested for alcohol use. According to spiegel.de, it is unclear whether there is any law in Germany prohibiting driving a swimming pool on public streets.

Although Ripples is not an expert in the German language, he surmises that BMW can stand for either Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works) or Besser Mit Wasser (Better With Water).

Photo: To learn more and see a photo of the drivable pool, click here.

Ripples Classic: Dec. 7, 2011

Flussbad: World’s Longest Swimming
Pool Proposed for German Capital

If German architectural firm realities:united gets its way, the city of Berlin will boast the world’s longest swimming pool — a massive installation extending approximately a half-mile (the equivalent of 17 Olympic-size pools end-to-end).

The company’s vision is to transform an unused section of the River Spree, which flows through the city center, into a major recreational attraction for residents and tourists alike. The proposed project, called Flussbad, recently won first prize in the 3rd International Holcim Awards, a European competition for “sustainable construction projects.“

As technology e-newsletter Gizmag reported, “The renewal concept for the 3.9-hectare (9.6-acre) site is ‘surprisingly simple and very cost-efficient,’ says realities:united. Parts of the Lustgarten quay would be transformed into stairs, creating an access point to the swimming pool, recreation gardens and functional facilities such as lockers, change rooms and bathrooms.”

The project’s sustainability presumably stems from the way the water is to be purified: “The plans incorporate an upper 1.8-hectare (4.4-acre) reed bed, which would naturally purify the water entering the swimming pool, whilst a barrage at the lower end of the system would prevent backflow of unfiltered water from the river.”

In awarding first prize to the Flussbad proposal, the Holcim Awards jury praised it as “an excellent example of what could be achieved within challenging inner city areas that possess a rich tradition and cultural heritage where the local public has been overlooked.”

Images: To view artist renderings of the proposed Flussbad pool, click here.