Final Design for Holland, Michigan – Smallenburg Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Our second skatepark for the City of Holland, Michigan is officially under construction as of this past Monday! Spohn Ranch’s latest design/build project is an 8,000 square foot neighborhood-style skate plaza artfully integrated into Smallenburg Park.

Our design process involved collaboration with a local landscape architect, as well as design workshops with the local skaters who we’ve come to know very well through our work on Holland’s David Dirkse Skatepark.

Stay tuned for construction updates!

 

City of Oskaloosa, Iowa – Final Skatepark Design, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Spohn Ranch is proud to announce that construction is officially underway on the first public skatepark in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Selected as the skatepark design/build contractor in the winter of 2010, Spohn Ranch joined an integrated team of engineers and landscape architects who were drafting a unique vision for a redevelopment project in the heart of Oskaloosa’s downtown district.

As the centerpiece of Oskaloosa’s new Urban Park, Spohn Ranch’s designers envisioned the skatepark as a vibrant and colorful space that could be proudly displayed as a community showpiece. Working through the Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation, Spohn Ranch also facilitated thoughtful community involvement by engaging with local skateboarders and BMX bike riders on the park’s design.

While the majority of Iowa’s skateparks feature metal ramps on old tennis courts or large expanses of dull concrete, Oskaloosa’s new action sports space stands alone. With an innovative sculptural quality and a diversity of aesthetic enhancements, the resulting design is arguably the most progressive skatepark in the State of Iowa. Often resembling more of an urban plaza than a traditional skatepark, the park features a dynamic colored concrete pattern, integrated granite collages and a host of cantilevered obstacles that double as architectural focal points.

Brought to fruition with donations from local businesses, youth fundraising and a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, this contemporary park also boasts a state-of-the-art lighting system, spectator seating and an aesthetically-inviting landscape design.

 

Final Design for McBride Skate Plaza – Long Beach, California, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Construction of Spohn Ranch’s Fifth Skatepark for the City of Long Beach is Underway at McBride Park

Since skateboarding first made its way to Long Beach in the 1970s, local youth have consistently earned a reputation for approaching skateboarding with an unmistakable level of passion and commitment.  Taking a stand against the social and economic issues that challenged their daily lives, the skaters of Long Beach have wholeheartedly embraced skateboarding – both as a vehicle for bringing people together and as a way to maintain a positive, healthy lifestyle.

With a background story this inspiring, Spohn Ranch is proud to honor the spirit of Long Beach skateboarding with the design and construction of the City’s most vibrant and well-rounded facility to date.  The project was also chosen as the Tony Hawk Foundation’s spotlight project of the year, with a “Stand Up For Skateparks” event held in October to raise additional funds for the park.

As we approached the design phase of the project, our goal was to create Long Beach’s first true skate plaza.  More than just another place to ride, we wanted to create an engaging public space that would resemble an urban streetscape and give local skaters a sense of place and community.  Putting ourselves in the mind of an average Long Beach skater, we asked ourselves, “What would it take to create a park that would keep me excited to come back here every single day?”.

A close up view of the park’s entrance

Reflecting today’s modern style of skateboarding, this 9,000 square foot design focuses less on traditional ramps, bowls and half-pipes and allocates more space towards features one would find in a common urban setting – benches, stairs, handrails, etc.  A few of the main attributes of this design include:

• ADA accessible entrance
• Re-creations of the iconic Belmont Plaza planters, which were demolished a few years prior
• Strong balance between feature density and open space, giving skaters plenty of options without negatively impacting traffic flow patterns
• Landscaped area in the center of the park which breaks up the monotony of a single expanse of concrete and allows us to occupy the entire site without going beyond the budget

The famed Belmont Planters during their last days

By far the most compelling and significant aspect of this design is the inclusion of the letters “LBC” in the banked wall.  By increasing the width of this feature, we were able to set these larger-than-life letters into the piece and allow them to rise up out of the park.  With a sculptural quality not found in any other skatepark, these letters singlehandedly elevate this skatepark to iconic proportions.

A close up view of the park’s “LBC” letters

When this skatepark appears in professional magazines, videos and local user YouTube videos, these letters will become an instantly recognizable symbol of Long Beach’s dedication to quality skateboarding facilities.  Empowering the local skaters with the knowledge and pride that their community is special, these letters will further unite Long Beach’s skaters and cement the City’s place in skateboarding history.