Monday, January 25, 2010

Victoria Skatepark Concept

From Victoria Park Skatepark


This concept was developed in response to the possible relocation of Vic Skatepark further down Beaumont Street towards New World. This design focussed on providing a range of different environments to cater for Skateboarding, BMX and other associated activities. Ideas to incorporate skateboarding facilities into the wider context was proposed but seems to have not been followed through into the overall landscape plan.

The skatepark includes a street plaza area that runs along the edge of Beaumont street that connects with the vert bowl, snakerun and trail area. These in turn lead into the flow bowl and BMX bowl that are further back in the skatepark. To accomodate a sense of place into the design a sail like transition positioned towards the harbour is proposed linking to the 'City of Sails' feel of Auckland City.
Volcanic like obstacles and transitions have also been proposed to connect with this feeling. As the Aotea Square Fountain Sculture was embraced by skateboarders of Auckland City a cantilevered bank mimicking the northern facing side of the fountain has been incorporated at the southern end of the plaza area. A variety of moveable objects including concrete bench seats or the nostalgic recycle bin were included to allow for on-going possibilities with what has been proposed.

From Victoria Park Skatepark


From Victoria Park Skatepark


From Victoria Park Skatepark


From Victoria Park Skatepark


From Victoria Park Skatepark


From Victoria Park Skatepark


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Mt Richmond Sensory Garden, Otahuhu

The Sensory Garden at Mt Richmond Special School featured on Asia DownUnder in April this year. Asia Downunder is made for TV ONE by Asia Vision Ltd with New Zealand On Air funding. The story looks at how a horticulture teacher (Fazley Imandin) is helping special needs and disabled children appreciate nature through gardening.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Dargaville Skatepark Concept

This Concept is an addition to the existing concrete pad that sits just off Logan Street, Dargaville. The design was broken into various strips and areas to create long lines and movement through the park while utilising the existing concrete slab and tree plantings. The design incorporated a 'river' like meandering path with wave structure, ship and wharf obstacle with a specially designed wood stack creating a connection to Dargaville's kauri gum and timber trading days. 'Kumara' shaped objects will also be created on the lower platform in conjunction with a variety of obstacles. A bowl with shade and seating will be developed off the top platform area. Being the gateway to the mighty Waipoua forest a number of kauri trees will be incorporated, planted in formalised lines to work with sight lines into and within the park. A natively planted drainage swale will run alongside the lowest platform to collect runoff from the park and drainage strips.

From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


From Dargaville Skatepark Concept


Sunday, August 9, 2009

A few clips have appeared on youtube from "Overground Broadcasting" directed by Takahiro Morita from the Far East Skate Network (http://www.fareastskatenetwork.com/). This clip put up recently is from the ending scene in the video creating a simularity/ relationship between billiards and skateboarding.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Peter Vlad's...

This is a interesting video if you haven't stumbled across it already

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6089315470536518414

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Edgecumbe Skatepark Concept

To be situated at the Rangitaiki Reserve off College Road in Edgecumbe, the design intended to pull in the history and natural phenomena of the area where achieveable. Mountains, islands and the patchwork of farming paddocks all had an effect in this design. The earthquake of 1987 also lended its hand in the conceptualisation of the design through the 7km faultline that opened up in the Rangitaiki plains and through the damage that occured in the area.

The design consists of a top platform bowl area that orientates two long strips that intersect each other along the roadside. An axillary path also flows from the main hubba and steps to the furtherest end of the roadside strip. One strip has been patterned to illustrate the patchwork of farming paddocks in the area with one side seemingly braking away from the landform creating a depression (and drainage swale) immulating the earthquake faultline. Some semi circle manual pads (fallen silo tanks from dairy factory) and bent rails (railway tracks) are also included in this area. Along the roadside strip are a variety of obstacles including a large 'punched ticket' (cantilevered bank with cut outs) at one end and a hollowed volcanoe (White Island) and wave structure with plaque at the other. In some respects the peanut bowl could be considered as Mount Edgecumbe likened to Maori legend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Edgecumbe/Putauaki, if you feel the inclination.

The axillary path has a variety of rail jams with a tight carve wall to help with circulation. There are a few other obstacles spread throughout the skatepark that are best observed in the following images and video.

From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


From Edgecumbe Skate Park Concept


Invercargill Skatepark Concept

This design has been proposed to replace the existing skate park between Elles Road and Ness Street. Existing phenomena and vegetation was taken into account when developing the layout for this design. A line of cherry trees (?) from Elles Road was retained to create an avenue effect in the design. A banked strip with associated obstacles and the main entrance was placed on the southern side with a boxed area and axillary entrance on the other. Due to the amount of available space the widths were kept to a minimum. Vegetated swales cut through both strips from the Cherry tree (?) planting strip into bioretention areas.

These areas flow into a central area with a range of skateable features and flow banks that then steps up to a snake run and spine bowl on the top platform. At the furtherest end of the bowl a skateboarding strip leads to the Ness Street entrance.

The design was generally focused around working in with the existing vegetation and banked areas on the opposite side of the railway tracks with some reference to local features. This includes the rocking coastline areas of the bluff and the Tuatara sanctuary at the Southland mueseum and art gallery. Eventually the gardens surrounding the skate park will connect with planting schemes in the local area. With more interaction with the community this area of the design can be developed further.

From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept


From Invercargill Skate Park Concept

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Friday, July 3, 2009

Paeroa Skatepark Concepts

Been working on a design for Paeroa that will be around 300m2 in size. Here is a flow of the designs conceptualised before the final one was selected. Things have been kept to a minimum to keep within the budget...

Idea 1

From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


Idea 2

From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


Idea 3 - Selected Design

From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


From Paeroa Skate Park Concepts


And an animation of the final design

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Samuel Torres

I stumbled across this last year while looking for some original skateboarding.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Cameron King

This is a video from a dvd I put together for Cam's 21st bday. Cam had a bit of a shin dig last weekend, when I arrived there was a dazed feel lingering in the air...

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Mangawhai Skatepark Concept

From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


Leading on from my past visit to Mangawhai I've been working on a skatepark design within a recreational reserve in the area. Heres a bit of a blurb on the design ideas with some images...

The Mangawhai Skatepark concept has been designed to integrate a SENSE OF PLACE while being modern in its objectivity and form.

To achieve this SENSE OF PLACE we have looked at connecting the design to its local environment through its history, existing phenomenon and materials.
Areas taken into consideration include:

Importance of the area to Maori for portage between the Mangawhai Harbour and Kaipara Harbour

Early settlement being dependant on the harbour as a point of access.

The typography of Mangawhai from the harbour into the surrounding landform

Materials and textures of the local environment.

Attractions in the Mangawhai area

The design will not be limited to these areas as it can develop through further input and involvement with the local community.



From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09


From Mangawhai Skatepark Concept 2305/09

Monday, May 11, 2009

Kahawai on the Brasier with Jeremy Bartlett

Took a trip over to Waiheke to see Jeremy, always some good times to be had

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Mangawhai

Got out last weekend for a little looksy around Mangawhai. Interesting enough, I gathered some bits and bobs off the beach and learnt a little something about the area to pull together a sense of space.

From Mangawhai 05/09


A couple other things of interest:
There is a wildlife refuge and nesting area along the sand spit, south to Te Arai Point
Maori portage route from Mangawhai harbour to the Kaipara Harbour in early times.
Area decimated during intertribal warfare, many old pas and middens identified in archaeological surveys
Locals battled nature and bureaucracy to reopen a closed harbour entrance

Just a few blah blahs, the full story is here:

http://www.mangawhai-museum.org.nz/Our-Story/

From Mangawhai 05/09


From Mangawhai 05/09


From Mangawhai 05/09


From Mangawhai 05/09



From Mangawhai 05/09


From Mangawhai 05/09