A handful of classic Irish and international street spots to influence the design and aesthetic of the park.
Trinity Library banks
Iconic Dublin brutalist architecture, originally built around 1969, which turned out to be an unintentionally top level skate spot until the mid 00s. This place used to be so much fun to skate.
Putting wallie blocks/ledges at the top of a tall bank, similar to here, would be a good obstactle to get speed and provide a change of direction.
Bank of Ireland, Baggot St
The legendary Dublin granite-clad skate spot was a huge hit from the late 80s until hundreds of skatestoppers where put in place in June 2003. This needs revisiting!
We could rebuild a few key elements, like the gap and the ATM ledge, with some manual pads or small 3-up-3-down steps.
(Now known as Miesian Plaza after Mies Van Der Rohe, who also designed Berlin’s Neuenationalgalerie plaza which itself is very similar to Baggot St – Van Der Rohe was a big influence on the architects Scott Tallon Walker, who modelled this on NY`s Seagram Building… /pub quiz)
Fondo, Barcelona
One of Barcelona’s favourite skate spots, nestled out in the suburban hills.
Gaps into a bank and blocks beside a hip would be a good reworking of this spot.
Molins de Rei, Barcelona
Banks and blocks all day. The blocks would be much better without the bevelled edges though.
Putting a couple of blocks sticking out of a bank would be a good way to recreate elements of this famous skate spot.
Landhausplatz, Innsbruck, Austria
More of a city plaza that’s made to be skate friendly than the typical street spot, but this is a good example of how to create a skatepark in the middle of the city.
Kulturforum, Berlin
Downhill skatespot in central Berlin with lots of blocks, gaps, stairs and benches. Not the best video here, but gives you an idea of what’s going on in this plaza heavy on the blocks, gaps and rails.
Colourful spot, Paris
As far as I know, that’s what this place is known as. The real use is probably abstract street furniture or something, but it works as skate spot.
Crazy banks, Copenhagen
Random banks plonked into the ground in deepest CPH
TBS, Malmo
AKA Train Banks Spot, this is a long-term DIY project in Malmo which is notoriously difficult to skate, thanks to the narrow run-up, loose slabs and DIY transitions. However, the general ideas and layout are a good starting point for a bank to wall with a block in there somewhere.
Blackrock skatepark 