Words and Photos by Lucia Jost

“This summer, as many times before, I spent my days at Sommerbad Kreuzberg – affectionately known as The Prinzenbad.

There, I photographed young women who, like me, choose to spend their summer days in this iconic Berlin outdoor pool. For me, The Prinzenbad is more than just a swimming pool – it’s a place filled with memories: memories of my childhood, and a version of Berlin that existed long before Matcha Lattes, Harry Styles, and unaffordable rents.

No other place evokes such a strong sense of summer and nostalgia in me as lying in the sun with a group of women in a public pool. There is gossip and laughter, conversations about careers, babies, and partners. Swimming with friends feels like freedom to me. It takes me back to those endless six-week of school holidays – to never-ending friendship, greasy fingers from pool fries, chlorine in the eyes, and the smell of sunscreen.