What to know about the new art installation on Schuylkill River in Philadelphia

FloatLab, a semi-submersible art structure, has been floated into Bartram’s Garden on the Schuylkill River in South Philadelphia, marking the project’s first public display. Designed by Howeler and Yoon of Boston, the 75-foot-wide circular platform relies on equilibrium, displacement, and buoyancy to float and will serve as a permanent river access point. The installation was transported from North Carolina and will later connect to a footbridge planned for September, enabling fishing, water sampling, and recreation while offering a new vantage point of the river’s ecology. The project aims to juxtapose residential and industrial Southwest Philadelphia from a unique perspective.

The bright yellow design will welcome visitors to engage with river chemistry and the surrounding habitat while expanding public access to local waterways.