Step inside Punctum's Cooling House

This 3-8 December Punctum’s Public Cooling House will take pride of place at Green Point Gardens, Brighton, taking the big questions surrounding our ‘water future’ and turning them into an experience of serene reflection.

Punctum’s Public Cooling House is a uniquely dry-country approach to a zen chill-out zone. Part art installation, part bath house, it combines science, architecture, performance and ancient evaporative cooling techniques.

Slip off your shoes, socks and sandals, roll up your sleeves, skirts, and slacks, and step inside.

Mirroring the cultural performances of bathing rituals and cooling practices, you’ll have your hands and feet cleansed and cooled before being led to an individual pool where different traditional bathing practices will be explained. 

Drifts of river soundscapes and recorded stories of culturally diverse connections to water fill the ‘House’ and flow around the ‘cooling pools’. 

Exploring traditional cooling techniques, this unique experience draws from simple and ancient evaporative cooling systems while presenting live ‘water works’ by renowned artists.

Punctum’s Artistic Director Jude Anderson, who is responsible for the concept and production is excited to see the installation arrive in Bayside.

“Water is such an increasingly precious resource that it feels vital to propose visions of our water future which help people reflect upon ways to ensure our regions and towns flourish and we continue to thrive,” she said.

“The Public Cooling House has come about through experiencing droughts, heat extremes, and enlightening conversations with leading scientists, engineers, artists, researchers, and suppliers concerned by our water future.”

Punctum’s Public Cooling House Brighton location will round off an exciting year where it has featured at the Royal Botanic Gardens, WOMADelaide, Art+Climate=Change Festival and the Prague Quadrennial for performance design and architecture.

Punctum’s Public Cooling House is at Green Point Gardens, Beach Road, Brighton from Tuesday 3 December to Sunday 8 December.

Find out more and book your free tickets to this incredible event

Punctum's Cooling House Creative team:

Concept, Artistic Direction: Jude Anderson

Design and Construction Coordination: Morwenna Schenck

Design assistant: Margot Lapalus

Performers: Justin Marshall, Aviva Endean, Louise O’Dwyer

Soundscape:  Jacques Soddell with the voices of Fatima Qurbani, Janet Bromley, Rebecca Wuor, Rhoda Makur and Po Tu Tu

Management: Steve Mayhew