Geel skatepark

Completed in June 2024, the brand-new skatepark in Geel stands as a model of efficient construction and high-performance urban design. Located adjacent to youth center De Vonk, this 1,000 m² facility replaces an outdated park with a modern, sustainable, and highly technical landscape. The City of Geel required the project to be completed on an accelerated two-month timeline while ensuring the local skate community remained actively involved in the development process.

Designed in a creative partnership between Slingermade and Nine Yards, the park’s layout takes architectural cues from the organic, rounded shapes of the surrounding city park. To meet the demanding schedule, Nine Yards partnered with Boons Grondwerken to streamline earthworks and on-site concrete fabrication. The resulting facility features premium, specialized details rarely seen in standard public parks—including a rare "Astray" street obstacle and a custom-designed bowl corner outfitted with authentic pool tiles.

Climate-adaptive engineering was woven into the core infrastructure of the site. The park utilizes subterranean infiltration crates for natural water retention alongside a specialized drainage matrix beneath the bowl section. Furthermore, stormwater from the concrete obstacles is captured and routed via a coconut fiber drainage line directly to a central tree. This sustainable water-management setup naturally hydrates the park’s greenery while mitigating local runoff, proving that rapid execution and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

Photos Courtesy of never2old2skateboard 2024