Potenõs Theater

Kin Lam

Intention

Buenos Aires is a city of performance. Different kinds of performances appear on the streets, in the plazas and also in the markets. For Potenõs the evening usually begins with a play or a movie following by the ultimate Buenos Aires experience: Tango. The authentic Buenos Aires experience here is not merely sitting in a boring building enjoying a formal show, but to experience the liveliness of street performances. Sometimes, even the viewers themselves can participate in the show.

Site

The site is situated beside the river in La Boca. Literally, La Boca means” the mouth”, taking its name from a natural harbor formed by a twist in the Rio Riachuela. However, as time goes by, the importance of the harbor is neglected. What’s left at the harbor are the abandoned ships.

Process

The project is about using these abandoned ships as mobile performance stages, which go into the harbor that combined with market that is situated in the middle of the river. As the water rises up, the site or performance space will be changed, from inland to the river. The water is directed using traditional methods. The water is filtrated as it goes through ponds that harvest indigenous vegetables. Eventually, clean water goes inland to be used by people for activities. Meanwhile, as water rises up, ship goes into the maket/harbor and acts as lively performance stage. As ship reaches its destination, the façade of the harbor, like sailcloth, will open. The opening of the façade will let the performance atmosphere spread all over the area. This is what Potenõs style of performance represents.

Future

The harbor will be duplicated in the Buenos Aires area. People can commute by ships to different harbors and markets.