F51, named after its location in the heart of a burgeoning seaside town in South East Kent Folkestone, has been commissioned by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust. The designers of F51 in Folkestone were initially asked to build a car park, hence its towering frame, but when the local skate park had to relocate, the building seemed like a cool fit. Now, it houses all the bowls, pipes, ramps and wallrides a skater could desire. There’s also a 15-metre high climbing wall, comprising more than 30 graded routes for both beginners and pros.The ‘flow park’ at the top of the building is a wonderland of undulating mounds. Head down a level and you’ll find a recreation of the gnarliest bits of urban environments: steps, rails, ledges and more. The ground floor is all swooping bowls and imposing pillars, meant to mimic the empty Californian swimming pools that incubated the first skating boom. All this floats above a boxing gym and community space, run by local charity The Sports Trust. Their initiatives include giving under-16s registered at nearby schools membership for £1 a month, plus taster sessions for people curious about skateboarding, climbing or boxing. Area: 3250 square metersArchitect: Hollaway StudioConstruction: Jenner GroupConcrete skatepark design: Maverick SkateparksTimber skatepark design: Cambian ActionEngineers: RambollOperator: The Sports Trust
F51, named after its location in the heart of a burgeoning seaside town in South East Kent Folkestone, has been commissioned by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust. The designers of F51 in Folkestone were initially asked to build a car park, hence its towering frame, but when the local skate park had to relocate, the building seemed like a cool fit. Now, it houses all the bowls, pipes, ramps and wallrides a skater could desire. There’s also a 15-metre high climbing wall, comprising more than 30 graded routes for both beginners and pros.The ‘flow park’ at the top of the building is a wonderland of undulating mounds. Head down a level and you’ll find a recreation of the gnarliest bits of urban environments: steps, rails, ledges and more. The ground floor is all swooping bowls and imposing pillars, meant to mimic the empty Californian swimming pools that incubated the first skating boom. All this floats above a boxing gym and community space, run by local charity The Sports Trust. Their initiatives include giving under-16s registered at nearby schools membership for £1 a month, plus taster sessions for people curious about skateboarding, climbing or boxing. Area: 3250 square metersArchitect: Hollaway StudioConstruction: Jenner GroupConcrete skatepark design: Maverick SkateparksTimber skatepark design: Cambian ActionEngineers: RambollOperator: The Sports Trust
