Skateparks : trace and culture

Abstract

Tucked away on the fringes of playing fields and brownfield land, skateparks have a reputation for being unsavoury, and even dangerous spaces, where anti-social behaviour is to be expected. Research shows however, that much of the activity that occurs in the space is positive, both physically and socially. This study aims to explore both anti-social and pro-social aspects of skateparks, and investigate the complex relationships that occur with and within skateparks. The study questions whether current sports-focused planning models are appropriate for an activity that is so steeped in urban culture. Utilising photography as a research tool, the study documented 136 skateparks in Australia and overseas. These photographs reveal ways to read the visual traces left behind by the users of the skateparks, and demonstrates the important role that the skatepark plays for users of the space. The documented skateparks have been re-coded as a result of their usage by individuals and groups, and the recurrence of these traces from site to site, country to country, proves that this is not an isolated phenomenon, but that skater communities on a global level speak a common visual language. Rather than a skatepark being developed solely as a functional sporting venue, as is often the case in Australia, this research supports an alternative approach to design development-as vibrant cultural zones that contribute positively to the physical, social and cultural wellbeing of young people who use these spaces.

Date of Award	2019
Original language	English