The skate fans of Martigny received a wonderful gift for Christmas 2020, and on March 31st it was finally opened – the concrete skatepark by Vertical Technik AG! It is located in the park of the «Centre de loisirs et culture de Martigny», CCLM for short, and is a showcase project of the finest kind. Its appearance is impressive due to the colored concrete, a modern design, and its versatility for riding. The skatepark in Martigny is already considered one of the most beautiful concrete skateparks in Switzerland.
As a skatepark with street, bowl, and flow park elements, it covers all skill levels. When a drone photographs the concrete skatepark from above, the 774 m2 concrete landscape looks inviting and beautifully embedded in the leisure park next to the youth center. The street area offers a wallride, stairs, handrails, hubbas, and a pyramid. Next to it is a clover bowl with roll-in and box for fly-outs. The platform is equipped with a taco with slappy curbs and a pyramid. Directly on the coping of the bowl stands a creative object, consisting of a mixture between spine and wobble.
The project was created in collaboration with youth services, the city administration, an architect, a landscape planner, and Vertical Technik AG. During several design workshops with the young people, which took place in the spring of 2020, the design was developed on site and built in the fall of 2020. The earthworks were carried out by local companies according to the plans of Vertical Technik AG. The construction work was carried out by the Vertical Beton Crew and lasted into the cold season. Therefore, the municipality of Martigny provided a 50 x 30 m tent with heating. This ensured that weather-related impairments in the quality of the concrete work could be excluded and the budget could be met.
To allow beginners to get started in roller sports, a crescent-shaped area was provided, where a rail stands on the side and which is surrounded by a seating wall. There, younger and inexperienced athletes can learn to ride and practice their first tricks. The concrete surfaces are very finely troweled, which means that there are fewer abrasions in the event of falls. However, wearing protectors is recommended in all areas of the skatepark.
A visit is worthwhile not only because of the skatepark, but also to ride the adjacent pump track with a bicycle or to chill in the generously designed recreation park. Growing up in Martigny has gained new qualities with the construction of this leisure facility. In the area of leisure activities for various activities, target groups, and age groups, a multi-generational park has been implemented in Martigny that covers the needs for exercise and social interaction of the people living there.
We thank those involved for their cooperation, especially Steve Chambovey from CCLM, Alban Carron from the landscape planning «Passage», the architect Alexandre Revaz from AR_Architectes Sàrl, the Vice-Mayor Mr. Martinetti. A big thank you also goes to the Vertical Design Studio with Nicolas Schneider, our skatepark designer, and the Vertical Concrete Crew. A super project – thank you for the top effort!
