As nightlife brands around the world grapple with the uncertain in 2020, [ipsə] faces its own unique crisis. The Berlin club fell victim to an arson attack in April that will prevent it from returning in its previous form.
Police had suspected foul play in the incident, and the owners said its unique circumstances would keep them from recouping costs through insurance. In a Facebook post, they have now confirmed that the building is beyond repair. “We now have learned that the fire has damaged the structural integrity of the building so much that it has to be removed completely,” it reads. “We still don’t know how much our landlord’s building insurance will cover and to what extent other insurance companies will cover other damages.”
A silver lining that gives the owners hope is that the outdoor area appears salvageable. “…We know that we are only saying goodbye to the building here and not to the idea of [ipsə], which is carried by our team,” the post closed out. “We want to do everything we can to reopen with a changed concept since most of our open air area remains intact…”
[ipsə] will require assistance to carry on in one form or another. To that end, the club has launched a StartNext fundraiser that has raised over 21,000 of its 50,000 goal at the time of writing.
