Blue Hour at Spreepark by Modulorbeat

Reviving Spreepark Berlin Through Architecture and Art

Spreepark Berlin, once the only amusement park in the former GDR, has a complex history of transformation, decline, and abandonment. After decades of neglect, the site is now being reimagined as a sustainable green public space for citizens. At the heart of this revival, Modulorbeat was commissioned to transform the Mero-Halle, a former fast-food and entertainment venue, into a new hybrid cultural landscape.

The result is Blue Hour at Spreepark—a striking architectural installation that bridges the park’s past and future, inviting visitors to experience community, art, and nature in a new way.

The Concept of the “Blue Hour”

The name and design are inspired by the blue hour, the twilight moment when natural light shifts perceptions between day and night. This metaphor reflects the transitional identity of Spreepark: from its inactive, abandoned state toward a vibrant, open space of cultural and social exchange.

The project is less a building than a living fragment of the park—open, flexible, and continuously evolving.

Adaptive Reuse and Structural Transformation

Modulorbeat’s intervention begins with the reuse of the existing MERO steel structure, a resourceful approach to sustainable architecture and adaptive reuse. The framework was reinforced for safety and coated in a striking gentian blue corrosion protection, a luminous hue rarely found in nature, making the structure both iconic and surreal.

Key elements of the transformation include:

• Light and Shadow Play: Partial canopies reinterpret the roof geometry, filtering sunlight, framing views of the sky, and providing shade or shelter.
• Curtain Partitions: Textile elements create flexible spatial divisions that blur the boundaries between inside and outside.
• Integration with Nature: Existing floor slab openings were transformed into planting beds, merging architecture with landscape and fostering biodiversity.
• Inviting Social Spaces: Benches and sheltered zones encourage relaxation, conversation, and cultural activities.

A Hybrid Cultural Landscape

Blue Hour is not bound by traditional architectural functions. Instead, it operates as a hybrid environment—part art installation, part public pavilion, and part experimental research project. Its flexible spatial framework allows diverse uses: from casual gatherings to performances, exhibitions, or community events.

The installation highlights how contemporary architecture can serve as a platform for dialogue, play, and exploration, without rigid constraints of form or function.

From Temporary Installation to Permanent Landmark

Originally conceived as a temporary artistic experiment, Blue Hour quickly proved its cultural value. Following its success, the installation has now become a permanent feature of the new Spreepark, symbolizing continuity, transformation, and creative reuse.

It stands as an architectural statement of how forgotten structures can be reclaimed, reinterpreted, and integrated into public life, contributing to urban regeneration and cultural memory.

All photographs are works of Jan Kampshoff