The Urban Pier by architect Sam Jacob of FAT, artist Martin Schmidt, and engineer Mathias Kutterer is a project on a bridge, about a bridge, and is itself a bridge. Like a seaside pier, The Urban Pier will be a combination of structure and activity, and yet be orientated to everyday urban life. Its blend of diverse uses will form a junction that unites the interests of diverse sections of the population in Berlin.

The Urban Pier is not a project to be observed; rather, it is a strategy of action. It only functions through the interaction of people. A new infrastructure (snack bars, kiosks, etc.) will be made available, which will take in the needs of the visitors and condense them in terms of time and space to enable the release of vitality and synergies.

The project is an acceleration of a ad-hoc urbanism. It concerns a city culture of additional usage, of surprising offers, of that special "something extra." By disclosing locations and functions as well as displaying needs and deficits, The Urban Pier is both a criticism of the city and an optimistic urbanism.

The Urban Pier plans a crossing over the flow of traffic, thereby offering a panorama. It offers a triple decker stacking of boat/car/pedestrian programmes: a "bridge sandwich."