The skatepark design stage is where everything you’ve been working for starts to come together. The hardest work is behind you. Your funds are getting raised, the location is finalized, the community has embraced the project, and everyone is working together. Finally, you’re ready to begin talking about the important stuff.
Skatepark design describes what the facility looks like and how it’s intended to be used. Design covers things like the size, shape, and distance between the structures in the skating area, and more. Design is flow, character, and “gnarliness”… but it’s also material, orientation, and details of construction.
Many skaters, inexperienced advocates, and even some city officials believe that skatepark design is the easiest aspect of skatepark development. Before they do anything else, some advocates will begin drawing pictures of skateparks that depict what they want. This should never be confused with “skatepark design” in the developmental sense. What those amateur drawings represent is a skatepark concept. You can no sooner build a skatepark based on a concept than you can build a house based on a photo. Skatepark design is a type of architecture, and skatepark designers are professionals, and many have architecture degrees. One should never make the mistake that anyone, skater or not, can design the skatepark that you’ve worked so hard for. Your project deserves a professional design and to settle on anything less would be risking everything you’ve worked so hard for. You simply cannot compromise on design regardless of how skilled you feel in your ability to come up with killer skatepark ideas.
Skatepark design is the result of two things: it is a collection of ideas and decisions that influences how the skatepark will be used, and it is a collection of documents that shows exactly how it will be built.
These two aspects of skatepark design are developed in tandem. The decisions made during the design stage will have the greatest impact on the long-term life and health of the facility. For skaters, the design stage is when all of their hard work begins to take shape.
In this section you’ll learn some basic concepts of skatepark design, and how skatepark design influences the overall health of the skatepark once it’s open.
IN THIS SECTION:
Design Disasters
This is the last critical stage where all your hard work can be wasted. Protect yourself by being aware of the last and most-important risks.
Factors of Skatepark Design
There’s much more to skatepark design than meets the eye.
Design and Construction Process
The development process for design and construction is elaborate.
Developmental Scenarios
There is more than one way to build a skatepark.
Ensuring Quality
You have several tools available to ensure your skatepark turns out perfect.
Danger of Community Designs
Save a few bucks by having local skaters design the park? Think again.
Hiring the Designer
How to hire your preferred skatepark designer.
Public Bid Process
Many capital projects must adhere to a public bid process. Learn what this is and how to make it work for you.
Request for Proposal
This is the tool you can use to invite companies to participate in your project.
Bid Specifications
Don’t let hidden specs prevent the most qualified companies from bidding on your project.
Design Stages
Most public skatepark designs are the result of a public-input process.
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