A place in the city for skating… and a whole lot of other things too!Presented to Dublin City Council 09/05/2012

IntroductionThis feasability study is funded by The Artist in the Community Scheme which is funded by the Arts Council and managed by Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts in social and community contexts.Project AimTogether with SkateD8 community group Carson and Crushell Architects are developing a conceptual response as to how an urban space could be both an amenity and cultural site for the community with particular focus on the established street cultures currently under-provided for in the city centre.

Anticipated OutcomeSkateD8 will have a better understanding of the design process on an urban scale and the architects will develop their interests in collaborative projects that promote an enriched way of living in the city. The resulting design will be described in architectural drawings and collage using material produced during workshops with SkateD8. A report documenting the project and the outcomes will be circulated amongst relevant stakeholders e.g. planners, city council parks department and city council arts departments.

Artistic ConceptThe artistic concept of the project is to represent, through a collaborative design process, an ideal urban space, focusing on the specific needs of the users of a skate park while reflecting the aesthetic desires of the remaining citizens. Unlike organized sports, like basketball or football, skateparks have no standard design template. This provides the artist with an opportunity to provide unique challenges to its users as well as creating an innovate and expressive urban space. We strongly believe that collaborative working with community is integral to creating successful spaces in the city:

‘Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody’ Jane Jacobs (The Death and Life of Great American Cities).

SkateD8SkateD8 was formed by Sandy Hazel in 2006 having recognised the need for, and benefits of, a skatepark in Dublin 8 that would provide a meaningful and healthy integration of young people in pursuit of a common interest. Active group members include skaters, graffiti artists, parents, local school children and young adults.

Group StructureTreasurer Philip Evans

Secretary Douglas Carson

DCC Liaison Sandy Hazel

Members Colin Farmer, Dáire Carolan, Brian Fitzpatrick, Luke Broughan, John O’Reilly, Mike Reidy, Patrick Clear.

In recognition of the non hierarchical aspect of street culture, there is a rotating chair.

SupportSkateD8 have received much support including written support from the following:

- Haroldville & Reuben Residents’ Association - South Area Youth Service - Whitefriar Aungier Community Council - Petition signed by over 1000 school children

Profile Carson and Crushell ArchitectsDouglas Carson and Rosaleen Crushell began their collaboration in 2003. Based in London for six years, they worked for a number of award winning architects including RIBA Gold Medal winner Edward Cullinan and Eric Parry Architects. Douglas is President of the Architectural Association of Ireland and continues to teach alongside practice while Rosaleen is an RIAI accredited Conservation Architect. In 2011 they received a ‘Special Mention’ in the Architectural Association of Ireland Awards. They have a specialist interest in community facilities and their experience includes sports grounds, playgrounds, urban squares, health accommodation, community buildings and housing.

Dublin City CentrePopulation 1.8mSkateparks 1 (Cabra Skatepark)

Skate facilities the wider Dublin area: SofD Skatepark Santry, Fr. Collins Park Clongriffin, Bushy Park Terenure, Monkstown Skatepark, Dun Laoghaire.

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Vancouver City CentrePopulation 2.1mSkateparks 8

8

1

75

23 4 8

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Potential Sites

A

B D

G

F

C

E

Bridgefoot ATerritorial issues, inadequate passive surveillance. Currently in active use by the community.

Tivoli Car Park BPrivate car park, may not be available. Good graffiti art potential. No passive surveillance.

Dublin Civic Offices CSuccessful one off use during Kings of Concrete festival. Future disruption due to Metro station. May not be available as site.

Iveagh Markets DVery positive response from skaters for this as an indoor venue. Suggested idea: Turn it into a skateable depot that uses all the skate friendly furnitutre that has been removed from the streets by DCC.

St. Patrick’s Park EGood passive surveillance and ongoing managment by DCC Park’s Department with good skate tourism potential. Activates a currently under-used section of St. Patrick’s Park. Well defined open and neutral site. Well connected to city centre. Improving the park as an amentiy is supported by Cathedral Quater Framework Plan of 2006 and DCC Development Plan.

Cork Street, eastern end FMay not be available as site. Planning approval for small park adjacent to new office within ruined church. Elevated site offers good drainage and ramp potential. Considered too small.

Chamber Street GTerritorial issues, objections likely and felt to be too close to Cork Street.

St. Patrick’s Park UpperFavoured site by all following group site visits on 23/09/2011

View north from south end of site

View south from north end of site

The park will fail if considered to be solely for one single demographic, either local or tourist, young or old, male or female, skater or walker. The park must be both for those casually passing through and for those who see it as a destination. Therefore this consultation process alongside the skilled design of the constitute elements is crucial.

However, one specific user group that is notably underserved in the area has been studied: young people.

7,337The total student population in the following local schools.

Scoil Seamus, St. Patrick’s Close, Marist National, Sancta Maria CBS, Scoil na Mbrather, Francis Street, Scoil Treasa, Muire Og Loreto, Gaelscoil Inse Chor, Lady of Good Counsel, Saint Agnes, Loreto Primary, Saint Catherine’s Donore, Presentation Warrenmount, Mater Dei Basin Lane, Goldenbridge, Saint Brigid The Coombe, Mourne Road, Meanscoil Colm Crumlin, Loreto Crumlin, Meanscoil Chroimghlinne, Assumtion , Drimnagh Castle, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral school, Mercy Secondary Inchicore, Synge Street and CBS James’s Street, Griffith College.

Users

If just 1% of the above student population see this park as a suitable destination that would be considered a significant number for a park of this size. A study of skate parks on Australa’s Gold Coast1 found that a skate park is considered busy if it hosts forty users on a weekend day.

Notwithstanding the potential draw from outside fo the vacinity, both regionally, nationally and internationally this park represents a great opportunity to provide a much needed resource for young people in the area.

Further to the plan to provide a facility for skaters it is intended that any design for the upper park is done in co-ordination with the conversion of the arches below into a community facility for the youth of the area as suggested in DCC’s Cathedral Quarter Framework Plan. As a useful precedent Factoria Joven playground in Spain (right) successfully contains community rooms within the supporting piers of the skatepark canopy.

1 www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard2.aspx?pid=3162

Factoria Joven playground, Selgas Cano Architects, Merida, Spain

1. New 2 Storey and basement public building. Arch to civic offices

2. New single storey visitor/access building with planted roof below railing level

3. 7 Storey mixed use building4. City Monument5. Balcony/aditional accommodation

– existing building retained6. New civic building on site of Tholsel

retaining Peace garden behind7. St Nicholas Church. Wall retained.

New building (linked to 6). Plaque8. Monumental sculpture9. Cobbled surface to Castle Street10. New office/Mixed use11. St Werburgs churchyard.

New garden space12. Bridge over Castle steps to Dublin Castle13. Castle steps retained, inset

staircase panels14. Tower of Castle steps, Coffee shop15. City wall conserved. Civic space16. Paving continued into Dublin Castle17. Permeable wall to Castle gardens

18. New entrance to Chester Beatty Additonal planting

19. Le Pole garden20. Proposed redevelopment plan of Ship St21. Seek quality building22. Civic space. Paved surface23. New mixed use building with

gate at ground level24. Wall walk along line of City Wall. Planting25. Genevels’ Tower. Access26. New mixed use building.

Access to Genevels’ Tower27. Private space: New gates/

railings by agreement28. Line of City Wall in brass strips

in ground (written timeline)29. Planting30. Potential new facility under

existing arches31. Golden Lane. New residential

units/planting/paving32. Line of oval street re-established33. Section of old wall retained34. Redesign of St Patricks Park

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Dublin City Development Plan 2011–2017 for the open space surrounding the Cathedral is:

‘To... improve recreational amenity and open space’Furthemore NC18 states the DCC policy:‘To promote the development of both indoor and outdoor facilities for young people e.g. multi-use games areas (MUGAs), teenage shelters, skateboarding areas and skateboard parks, youth cafes, youth centres’.

Further supporting information for this proposal and for its siting in particular is in the Urban Design Manual, 2008 which states that: ‘Play/recreational spaces and facilities for older children and teenagers e.g. Multi Use Games Areas, teenage shelters, skateparks, etc. should be available… in a local square or green space where good linkages with the residential development can be created and where meaningful community interaction can take place. Facilities should also be provided for teens and older people where they can congregate while also respecting others. This can be achieved by providing such facilities in well-trafficked, central areas of the scheme/neighbourhood rather than trying to hide them’.

DCC’s Cathedral Quarter Framework Plan (extract)McCullough Mulvin Architects 2006

PrecedentMicropolis Skatepark, Helsinki, designed by Janne Saario Skatepark located in the central park of Helsinki with a variety of materials used: granite, concrete, brick, grass, shrubs and trees. This permanent public park offers an architectural experience for all citizens as well as providing an attractive and exciting setting for skaters.

Brooklyn Banks, New York

Canopies

Hood River, Oregon

Factoria Joven playground, Selgas Cano Architects, Merida, Spain

Surfaces

Marble

Brick

Concrete as a positive graffiti surface

Coloured concrete

Artist’s visualisation copyright of Carson and Crushell Architects.

Concept No.1 Iveagh Markets

green link ramps zone bridge shelter green screen

street art lane community rooms

Artist’s visualisations copyright of Carson and Crushell Architects.

Concept No.2 St Patrick’s Park Upper

Artist’s visualisation copyright of Carson and Crushell Architects.

designed + supported by www.unthink.ie

‘City parks are not abstractions, or automatic repositories of virtue or uplift… they mean nothing divorced from their practical tangible uses’.Jane Jacobs