mare/Thu., 18 June 2026 – Fri., 6 August 2027
Flussbaden Bozen-Bolzano
Citizens’ Collective for a Swimmable City
Upcoming
Flussbaden Bozen-Bolzano is a proposal to establish a civic collective for a swimmable Bolzano.
The initiative is promoted by Lungomare and builds on the insights gathered through FLUX – River Actions and Explorations, a research programme launched in 2021. Over the years, FLUX has brought together artists, designers, urban planners, architects, researchers, and local residents in a multidisciplinary programme driven by the desire to foster a more intimate, embodied, and research-based relationship with the city’s rivers as public spaces.
Lungomare’s premises are located just a short walk from the Talvera River. This everyday proximity has led us to spend time along its banks, observe it closely, and gradually ask ourselves what role it could play in the life of the city. Every summer, many people are naturally drawn to Bolzano’s rivers. It is an informal yet widespread practice that reflects a desire to experience the river more directly. In many European cities, rivers are an integral part of everyday life: they are accessible, collectively used, and swimming is a shared practice that acknowledges both risks and responsibilities.
Double pair in the Gugler Baths of Bolzano, 1928 | Foto Archive South Tyrol
Starting from these experiences, we want to open a collective reflection on how the relationship between the city and its waterways might evolve in a conscious, safe, and responsible way, while recognising the complexities and conflicts that surround them.
Imagining a future swimmable Bolzano means thinking beyond the possibility of simply swimming in the river. It invites us to rethink the relationship between the city and water by reflecting on issues such as accessibility, safety, environmental quality, the care of public space, and shared responsibility.
For this reason, as a cultural organisation rooted in the city—but also as individual citizens—we are proposing the creation of a collective open to anyone who wishes to take part in imagining and shaping a swimmable Bolzano through shared experiences and concrete actions. We envision an ongoing commitment from those who join, with regular meetings, moments of exploration and learning, and dialogue with public institutions.
We invite you to a first meeting on Wednesday, 5 August, inspired by this hot summer, with the hope of bringing together a community of curious and engaged people interested in exploring this topic collectively and rethinking the relationship between Bolzano and its rivers.
The collective is open to everyone! If you would like to be part of it, please fill out this form, we will get back to you!
Wednesday 05.08.2026
Lungomare (Via Rafenstein 12)
18:30 — Flussbaden Bozen-Bolzano
First meeting towards the creation of a civic collective supporting a swimmable Bolzano: a discussion on shared desires, expectations, and collective imaginaries.
19:30 — Collective dinner in Lungomare’s garden
Everyone is invited to bring something to eat and share.
20:30 — POOL IS COOL
Public presentation with Paul Steinbrück (in English)
What are the differences between the Seine and Bolzano’s mountain rivers? This talk opens a reflection on the processes that could enable the transformation of the river into a conscious and shared public space: a place to inhabit and experience—not only as a swimmable environment—where relationships can emerge, balancing freedom and risk while fostering a dialogue between individual and collective responsibilities, as well as between private and public dimensions.
Thursday 06.08.2026
Along the Talvera River
18:00 — POOL IS COOL. River action with Paul Steinbrück
A practical and theoretical session along the Talvera River dedicated to observation, listening, and developing a relationship with water.
