It’s another case of designers with too much time (or LSD) on their hands. This time it’s Acconci Studio with their concept for a skatepark in San Juan Puerto Rico. I came across this in Dec/Jan 07 issue of Dwell magazine. It was on a page talking about the Cooper Hewitt 2006 National Design Triennial. The design evokes a 70’s snake run mixed with a waterpark. It may be fantastic to look at, but it shows a complete lack of practical skateboarding knowledge.
Acconci Studio skatepark concept
The Acconci Studio web site is about as annoying as can be to navigate and actually get a good look at what you want to see. It seems more like the studio is interested in whimsical possibilities rather than something actually useful.
First things first. See if you can expand your mind enough to grasp a skatepark that isn’t built around a set of features that you can work out tricks on. Even if you can, the scale of this thing just seems all wrong. On the other hand, imagine how amazing it would be if it were actually built. It would bring back the basic element of fun in skateboarding – mainly just cruising around. Would it be fun in the sense that traditional skateparks are? Not really. Would it be fun? You bet. Would you go there? You would. Would you return there? You would, because everyone else would want to keep going back too.
This picture is from the Dec/Jan 07 issue of Dwell. Click it to enlarge, and you’ll notice the guy riding a convex transition to disaster. Must have been an 8 foot ollie, or maybe they intended it to be on the moon.
The pictures below are form the Acconci Studio web site.
Vert guys get their (bizarro) half pipe, but it looks like it’s got a little too much flat.
The guy below is kickfliping into a 16 foot acid drop. Great place for a pedestrian walkway. Look out below!
You get something really wicked, when you buy an “E” ticket.
OK, at this point it looks like a skatepark that was designed by a cat that barfed up a pile of ribbon.
If you look closely you can see Olivia Newton John whispering something… What is she saying? Xanadu!
As it appeared in Dwell magazine.
This picture is from the Dec/Jan 07 issue of Dwell.
Xanadu! Disco and rollerskating!
Because it’s kick ass, and Olivia Newton John was hot. Last thing. ELO.
16 comments
joebrillio
The Acconci studio is run by vito acconci who is an incredibly controversial performance and installation artist. As a skateboarder I think its awesome that he would appreciate what we do enough to make functional art installations where skateboarding is not only allowed but encouraged. Famous artists fascinated by skateboarding? A good thing.
ArchyKay
Architecure student/ Amateur Snowboarder
The night scenes are pretty cool. You can really picture yourself there. The slides though look like if you fell someone could definatly run you over, (cluster fuck). With some fine tunning maybe this could be the place you skaters dream of humm… There’s an architect by the name of Zaha Hadid whose buildings sort of resemble some forms like this.
johny lingo
this is the coolest thing i think i have ever seen in my life. Even though it may be difficult to do certain tricks, considering how the park is built, riding in this skateboard wonderland, almost like trapped in a video game where everything is possible to shred up with your board. being able to skate in a place like this would be amazing. Besides, if you are a true skater, then you do something out of anything, and this would be a challange but a great place. the park is unique, far differnt than any other skatepark and definately more exciting and creative. if it were built I would be the first to be there. I aslo think it would be a huge success with more than just me
geth
awright, after this nobody can possibly think our parks are weird!
sleezyskates
Olivia Newton John..the best part’s gonna be pumping over the cameltoe
warehouse
Alll skateparks should be designed to resemble Olivia Newton John!
Tom
Interestingly enough I worked on this project as well. Keep in mind it is a permanent art intallation 1st, skatepark second. It’s supposed to be something you would skate if you happened apon it. to give it some scale, those “waterslide/rollercoaster” tubes are 25 feet from side to side and 15 in the air. then it goes into a 4 level skatecave. The design has changed considerably since those pictures were on exibit a few years back, but is still waaay out there. I’m not sure if it will ever be built.
skatebroke
^^^ cold ones makes a valid point dudes…Xanadu!
cold ones
Why make a skate spot that skaters need when you can build a spectacle?
JF
waste of time and money
Tito
is int Xanadu in spain?
she is hot.
Kilwag
Yes, yes, but what about Xanadu?
Cameron
I guess they have a lot of faith in the skateboarders never falling. Those parks look seriously dangerous! Like skateboarding down a waterslide.
Tito
I tried to help them way way back then around 2003. At the time this concept was done by the named studio in NY. They needed some help to make it real. So the called us. It was kind of difficult dealing with them. I could understand their abstract conceptualization of a “skate park” but when it came down to make it real that whole team seemed to flop. It brought horrible memories of architecture student’s overly abstract building contraptions that had no realistic budget in mind in regards to present day construction. Kinda like trying to design something for the Jetsons…They just could not get off their overly abstract concept. That which is fine but man, I am from Puerto Rico and part of the reason i left was the lack of skate scene as a result of lack of skateparks…and to me this was a chance to make a really good skate park. The concept covered the right size and claimed the area nessesary for a great skatepark. But low and behold their style of “sproketizim” KILLED THE WHOLE THING.
Leanderskater
I’m blown away by the sheer stupidity of it.
Conahan
Looks like a great skatepark to practice your ollies under.