Forming part of Shanghai’s
Shanghai’s ambition to convert Suzhou Creek from an industrial backwater to an accessible landscape is now a reality.
IBP International Business Park, a large new district with an enormous and very young workforce, fronts the river. Seeking an active space for the young employees BAU suggested this as a perfect site for a skate park. Still an exotic sport in Shanghai it took a courageous client to agree to this.
This is a park with skaters in mind – they can travel the entire length of the park without stepping off their skateboards, and even within the most green areas regularly encounter a variety of objects and topographies with which to engage. A total of seven different levels of dedicated skateboarding areas are provided, including six types of beginner training zones, one large professional zone, and the scattered obstacles throughout the park. The large skatepark zone is a competition park for different skill levels that combines a street skate area with ramps 0.9 – 1.8m in height as well as a bowl area 1.5 – 2.5m deep. Australian skate park specialist Brad Shaw joined the process from design to construction. The fields, stepped seats, and lighting are designed, selected and constructed according following Brad’s specialist knowledge. The open lawn, rain shelter, hydrophilic space, and planting design coordinate with the design of the skateboarding venue, providing inclusive spaces for those not skating, and relaxed spaces to watch the action. . An extreme sport training centre is located under the park, with a café on ground level. Four large courtyards provide natural light, greenery, ventilation, and break-out spaces. Current enterprises include a fencing centre, a boxing centre, and a skate centre with shop and indoor competition venue.
Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek Linkong Skate Park is a remarkable transformation of the Suzhou Creek area, turning an industrial backwater into a vibrant urban space. Designed for the young workforce of the IBP International Business Park, the park features diverse skateboarding zones, green areas, and an underground extreme sport training center. This innovative project not only promotes community engagement and physical activity but has also become a local landmark, setting a new standard for integrating recreational facilities within business districts. Linkong Skate Park exemplifies Shanghai’s progressive vision for dynamic urban environments.