CityCamp In Public Space

Recently the Dutch town of Castricum was been changed into a temporary open air campsite. Between August 19 and August 29, camping was made possible all over the place — in the public green, at parking lots, et cetera. Furthermore, the inhabitants of Castricum offered camping places in their gardens and facilities. Staying at the campsites was entirely free.

This city campsite was no enclosed enclave but truly intertwined with life in the town. Artist Sabrina Lindemann has collaborated with Amsterdam-based DUS Architects and graphic design office Duel to transform the public domain into a huge campsite. As such, CityCamp Castricum is part of the North Holland Art Biennial 2010… Yes, yet another biennial. For those up for a true urban camping shower experience, DUS Architects designed the grand shower house located at a public green in the centre of Castricum. The temporary building is perfectly waterproof, as it is made entirely out of plastic airbeds. Unfortunately, the event suffered from some poor weather conditions over the last ten days. Heavy rainfall and wind must have afflicted the CityCamp initiative. It’s still unclear whether the shower house has survived these stormy days.

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