Technical sheet
Read moreRead less- walk-in-workshop
- 22 until 26 augustus 2011 included
- launch
- 4th of november 2011
- execution
- Marge together with Leefgroep Elf
- weight
- 361kg
- dimensions
- 2,5m (l) x 1,16m (b) x 0,75m (h) x 0,03m (d)
- as seen in
- Het Nieuwsblad 20/08/2011, AVS journaal 4/11/11, Het Nieuwsblad 05/11/2011, Beton 214 - januari 2012, Het Laatste Nieuws
- made possible by
- DOK, Stad Gent, Universiteit Gent, FeBe, Bureau Bouwtechniek en Hubo
- Can be seen at
- Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke (https://verbekefoundation.com/)
Betonnen boot
Walk-in workshop with locals and real concrete boat, to proof concrete floats on water. Now part of the permanent collection of the Verbeke Foundation, accompanied with a publication. For sale.
The waterfront is a margin. It's a fragile zone where two realities meet. Not being defined by the one or the other, it is mainly these two coming together that shapes the waterfront, that extends meaning. The waterfront is a threshold. Crossing over from one reality to the other is not impossible, but somewhat inconvenient. The waterfront is a gap. Even if it's as flat as the beach. It's fascinating, because we don't really belong on the other side. It demonstrates our clumsiness. Quay, pier, breakwater. We don't want to give in. So we built a boat.
A boat is cheating. Trying to get some land over to the other side. An island without any tectonic origin. A pier without waterfront. Don't give in. A concrete boat is a slap in the face. Or an ode, I don't know. Stone belongs to the land. Atlantis is stone across the border. So we built a boat. Out of concrete.
Efficiency doesn't always mean interesting and absurdity and uselessness have some humour to it. In the history of shipping a great effort was devoted to lightness. Could concrete float? Yeah sure, but the waterline says we were cutting it pretty close.
The concrete should appear in a not too awkward shape. Preferably: boat shaped. But also it shouldn't be too heavy, so not too thick. A classic rebar shape, clad with wire mesh and mortar. No granulates. An old variation of concrete, but still very effective.
The launch was unnerving. Everything was calculated. And yet. Slowly the crane lowers. The boat goes through the water surface. The tension on the ropes diminishes. The boat floats.
After many detours and years of storage in a warehouse suddenly the perfect end destination presented itself: Verbeke Foundation. As a part of the permanent collection the boat now rests on the shore of the pond, a place where the boat always belonged, between land and water.
