Flowing curves and a cloud-like cluster of spherical domes are intended to evoke the sea and the sky at this rooftop skatepark in Qingdao, China, by local practice Within Beyond Studio.
Located atop the Wanda Plaza Mall, the 1,500-square-metre Qingdao MixC Rooftop Skatepark provides space for both skateboarders and spectators overlooking the city and sea.
Within Beyond Studio drew on the site’s close relationship to the sky and the sea to inform the blue finishes and wave-like shapes of the skatepark, which also provides access to the mall below.
“Qingdao’s breathtaking coastal scenery is a natural treasure,” said the studio.
“We’ve cleverly merged business with skateboarding culture, recreating an ocean on the rooftop terrace of Wanda Plaza and establishing a fresh social platform for skateboarders,” it continued. “This dual activation – both in terms of spatial design and movement – energises the entire terrace.”
“The integration of skatepark features and routes, along with the seamless flow of commercial traffic, allows these two elements to coexist in harmony, blending without disruption.”
To help distribute the additional load on the mall’s roof, the skatepark was constructed using a steel frame with a concrete surface layer.
The layout of the park is divided into two areas, with one area containing shallow, wave-like skating bowls and the other a flat surface sheltered by a series of concrete spheres designed to evoke a fluffy white cloud.
The two spaces are united by a floor finish with a curving pattern in different tones of blue, applied using a solvent-free polyurethane coating to provide resilience against the coastal climate.
“Design-wise, the bowl adopts a pure, flowing curve, designed to mirror the graceful movement of waves and beams of light,” explained the studio.
“On one side of the plaza, a smooth, white spherical form mirrors the clouds in the sky, offering a minimalist contrast while providing a resting space for both skaters and visitors,” it added.
A slim white metal balustrade separates the two areas of the skatepark and ends in a curving series of steps, creating a new route that can be used to move between the two buildings.
Elsewhere, Raphaël Zarka recently added a colourful horseshoe-shaped skatepark outside the Centre Pompidou and the world’s first multi-storey skatepark opened in Folkestone.
The photography is by UK Studio.
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