"Skateboarding, Space and the City: Architecture and the Body" is a great book.

I have found a lovely database of existing skateparks at <http://skateboardpark.com>. I took my family to one in Acton, Massachusetts last weekend --<http://skateboardpark.com/skateboardpark/viewpark.asp?ID=4216>. So, more than a book, one can actually go to these places and try them out.

Thanks for all this.
A friend of mine recommended this book: World's Greatest Skate Parks" by
Justin Hocking. I'll check it out too. I was also andering about a construction oriented book, with details and stuff, eventually regulations and such datas.
Anybody knows about something? I can't believe it doesn't exist. if not, that's definitely a project...

I don't know about books regarding skate park construction, but my first job in the architectural design industry was for a landscape firm which designed and did construction drawings for the majority of the concrete skate parks in the US at the time (5-7 years ago). I doubt more than 1-2 of the parks we did on are on that "World's Greatest..." list, but that can be chalked up to the "high profile" designers we worked with who insisted on what they want and not what the rest of the skating world did.

Back then there were 2-3 skate parks a month to draw, and now I still draft the 1-2 a year that come around for them on a contract basis. I have much experience with detailing, spec'ing, standards, etc... and I am willing to share things I have drawn on my own, if people are that interested!

I would also be seriously interested in working on a book project about concrete skate park construction and design if others were interested... and of course paired with a much necessary persuasive section on why recreation/park planners need to allocate more money and space to skate parks in the future!

Absolutely... not only is it all they do, but they do the whole package better than anyone else.

I am a resident of Cambridge UK and had been skating these flatbanks on one of the college sites for years. It was only until my architectural education that i realised i had only been skating on.

James Stirlings Faculty of History!

Any other skateboarding / architectural significant related stories?

Well i'm not a skater myself unfortunately. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, in the south of france, and there were no roads or streets to skate on around. However, I have always thought that the idea of making a pblic space, or any space, even an empty swimming pool, a playground fascinates me. The office will hopefully soon work on a urban design project, and I would like to find a way to bring back the technical qualities of modern skate parks into the public realm, to bring back the fun outside of delimited spaces...

When I lived in Paris I used to skate past a building with super rippable banks on my way to a little park on the canal st. martin. But it was gated with heavy security so I never skated it, turns out it's the socialist party headquarters by Niemeyer.

French, there are a few architect design skateparks/public parks/urban interventions in Brussels. They are by far the worst skateparks I have ever skated; terrible transitions, completely unrealistic run-ups. impossible to work up a good line, but prettier than your standard concrete park (form an urban point of view, not engineering). My advice if you want to work skate parks into public space is to start skating first.

Thanks for the advice gravitas. However, I think I'm way too old to start. So I might count on the intern's advice before trying...