We are excited to announce that our second self-initiated skate project is about to be realized this year!
In the winter of 2012/2013, born out of a feeling of necessity, we took the initiative for a daring new skatepark together with local skaters, as opposed to the mundane and uninspired plan that was being developed. In our proposition, we presented the skatepark as a real public space, inspired by the true urban nature of skating in the city.
The Westblaak II group had to take it all the way to the City Council in order for the alderman to realize the potential of a skatepark as an inviting public space instead of a fenced off playground. Our political act worked out and the initial budget of a mere 300.000,- got tripled to a more realistic 900.000,-.
In the summer of 2013, we got commissioned by Het Nieuwe Instituut to further develop this vision and design proposal for the skatepark as an inviting public space, together with a select group of (inter)national experts. We worked in an intense summer workshop, investigating the possibilities, constraints and users’ wishes and translated them into a vision document and structure design proposal.
Skatepark designer Janne Saario got selected to further developed this vision of an integrated public playscape into a skateable landscape in collaboration with the municipality’s landscape department. We got commissioned by Bureau Binnenstad to further develop scenario’s for skating in the city center and were invited to reflect on and criticize the design development in an expert panel, together with our fellow initiators and other local skaters.
The final design got presented last night and the old skatepark will be dismantled next week. We can’t wait to see and skate the final result before the end of this year!
