Zap' Ados Skatepark, Calais, France. Architect: Bang Architectes, 2011. Ceiling made of melanin baffles.
French studio Bang Architectes has converted a former peanut factory in Calais into a skateboarding park with a bright orange mesh facade. Making the project visible was of utmost importance in order to spruce up the place a bit, hence the bright orange mesh and gables. But the mesh plays another role. By knocking out two concrete walls and replacing them with glazing that is then screened in by the orange skin, Bang lets in natural light that completely livens up the interior and also prevents graffiti artists from getting too excited with the exterior. The ceiling is made of melanin baffles, and the skate joinery has been constructed with Finnish Birch plywood. A long passageway and the mesh envelope ensure that spectators can be a part of what’s happening inside without getting in the way. This is such a fantastic example of adaptive reuse and urban renewal – especially since it comes with such a positive and colorful ethos that is bound to give city youth just the boost they need.
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Photo credit: © Hufton+Crow-VIEW / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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