Chapter 4: Design

The Design Process In A Nutshell
The process of designing a skatepark is a tiny reflection of the larger effort. Within the design stage, the skatepark starts as a vision held by the advocacy group and shared with the other stakeholders. That vision, through the expertise of the skatepark designer, becomes a concept rendering. The concept will include all major elements and their approximate locations. The inclusion of these major elements should be firm by now but the details—size, placement, materials, and style—are not defined. Concepts are discussed and applied to the signature concepts of the vision. Eventually the concept becomes a plan. Plans will convey
greater detail about the space and should include approximate measurements and elevations. Once the plan is fully approved, engineers and architects can get to work assembling the technical information required to actually build the structures according to the plan. At this point a functional budget can be assigned to the various parts of the facility. This final collection of documents is often called the schematic. The design may go through several revisions and, once approved by the steering committee, becomes a schematic design. The schematic design is the last stop before construction. It contains all of the technical information necessary to build the skatepark.

Who Are Skatepark Designers?
Skatepark designers are everywhere. Urban architects who design outdoor spaces for the public can inadvertently create very compelling structures that skateboarders will flock to. Skateboarders doodling out different types of obstacles on notepaper can strike upon a concept that has never been built. An ordinary ramp modified by an enterprising carpenter turns a ho-hum element into a unique structure that attracts users from all over the region. Design is fun and very democratic, as it requires nothing but imagination.

Oops! While well-intentioned, this small skatepark was designed by local skaters and built by a general contractor. The end result was a skatepark that attracts few users.