Mount Maunganui unveils 3D-printed Destination Skatepark, developed by Tauranga City Council and RICH Landscapes to explore sustainable technologies. The community-influenced design process involved a 24-member group containing multiple roller codes and modes, including skateboarding, BMX, scootering, inline, and roller skating.
“There are only a small handful of skateparks we know of internationally [in France and England] using this technology, but on a much smaller scale,” the council’s design lead for Destination Skatepark, Peter Fraser, said and added, “It’s a new and innovative way to make unique features. We’ve created new forms and textures that would have been too expensive to make by traditional production methods.”
According to Qorox director Wafaey Swelim, the 3D-printed skateable features are made of Q-Ink, a locally mixed material composed of a special low-carbon material that emits 30 percent less carbon than regular concrete. The new 3D-printed features at the skatepark consist of a 12m-long wave, skateable walls/quarterpipe, skateable art ledges, and standard skinny ledges.
In addition to these features, the wider skatepark, constructed by Angus McMillan Concrete, also includes a flow bowl, a surf/skate ditch, competition-style stairs, and a street skate area.
“We’ve included a number of skate zones which cater for all ages and abilities. Zones one and two focus on facilities for more experienced skaters, while zones three and four were specifically designed for developing basic and intermediate roller skills.”
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