09. Juli 2020



Come to Wien’s Riviera!

Hooray, our grand opening at Kunst Haus!

SV DK functional installation of changing cabins and lockers welcomed its first user swimmers. The warm summer evening continued with Donaukanal tunes by DJ Dashezzl, sweet potato fries with avocado dip and Liquid Public Space drinks.

Opening public discussion moderated by Schwimmverein Donaukanal featured experts, Donaukanal enthusiasts and practitioners, a small dispatch below: 

~ Susan Kraupp + Gabu Heindl – authors of the Gestaltunis-und Entwicklungsleitlinien für den Wiener Donaukanal, raised awareness about the potentials of the huge liquid public space and swimming as activism. 

~ Judith Eiblymar – author of the book DER DONAUKANAL (with Peter Payer) about why, from a historical perspective, people swam in the Donaukanal whilst it was forbidden and nowadays we do not swim, even though it is legal.

~ Paul Haber – president of SC HAKOAH – about the competition "Quer durch Wien" held in the Donaukanal at the beginning of the last century.

~  Jakob Travnik – architect and researcher on nanotourism – about how the swimming makes us re-think our everyday environment and challenges the perception of our city and how we use it.

~ Andreas Novy – socio-economist – about how similarily to biking in the city – it is about claiming a space as citizens of Vienna. 

~ Fabian Ritzi – designer, river swimmer from Switzerland – about how he sees the Donaukanal as a perfect opportunity to go swimming from his perspective and his pre-knowledge from Basel and Bern. 

~ Wolfgang Zottel – Samariterbund – about the safety aspects and what rules must be followed when swimming in general and specific in the Donaukanal.

Swimming in the Donaukanal, the liquid public space for non-commercial collective use – it adds to the urban life quality of Vienna!