Designing Torremolinos Skateplaza: An Interview with Daniel Yábar

What makes a skate plaza different from a traditional skatepark? And how do you turn the history of a local street-skating scene into a new space?

We asked designer Daniel Yábar about his ideas behind Torremolinos Skateplaza, from the Málaga street spots that inspired its design to the role of local skaters in shaping the plaza. Daniel talks us through how the plaza came together, why certain features made the final cut, and what he is most curious to see now that skaters are finally using the space.

What made you want to design Torremolinos as a Skate Plaza rather than a more traditional skatepark? What does a plaza give skaters that a typical bowl-and-ramp skatepark doesn't?

Skate scene in the Malaga metropolitan area, including Torremolinos, has a historic and strong street skate community. Locations such as PLN Plaza and Plaza de La Marina - as well as the "River DIY" spot for a time - have been witness of this vibrant scene. It also boasts many internationally renowned street spots.

In recent years, many skateparks have been built around Torremolinos. Most are Park style facilities featuring bowls and ramps, with some even geared toward BMX. However, there was a lack of spaces designed specifically for street skateboarding.

The evolution of skateboarding has given rise to a wide variety facility typologies: Competition Skateparks, ramp Parks, hybrid Skateparks, hkateplazas, vert ramps, and more. We must acknowledge the impact street skating has on the skateboarding community and the unique experience of skating the city rather than a facility purpose-built. From a design perspective, there are notable differences between a conventional skatepark and a Skatepaza regarding space, lines, shapes, and materials.

Skateplazas offer a way for skateboarding to coexist with the urban environment, integrating into the city landscape more harmoniously than a conventional sports facility. It represents another approach to incorporate street skateboarding into the city. Torremolinos City Council clearly understanded this and committed to the project. Both Margarita Cid, mayor of Torremolinos, and Ramón Alcaide, councilor for sports, understood the demands of the skate community, backed this project, and trusted our advice. Consequently, the idea of ​​creating a Skateplaza was over the desk  from the very beginning.

Where did the idea for the plaza come from, and who pushed for it? Was this something you proposed to the Ayuntamiento, or did the city come to you already wanting this kind of space?

When Alex Gámez and Álvaro Rodriguez -skaters driving this initiative as stakeholders - first talked to me about this project in Torremolinos, they already envisioned a space that would meet the needs of the street skateboarding community. They proposed to bring me on board for the design, given my experience creating other Skateplazas in cities like Logroño, Santiago or Coruña.

The concept was clear from the start: to address a gap of dedicated street skating spaces in the city of Torremolinos and the province of Málaga. Also, with the aim of appealing to a wider range of riders, we considered including a surfskate ramp. It is an uncommon combination - Skateplaza and Surfskate - but one that could coexist seamlessly. After all, Torremolinos and the surrounding area boast a thriving surf scene.

There are references to real street spots from Málaga, Madrid, Philadelphia and elsewhere in the world. What spots made it into the design, and what stories are behind them?

Torremolinos Skateplaza design is full of references to well-known skate spots. Some are long gone - like the two ledges from the PLN plaza - while others still exist, such as La Marina bank  or ledges from Madrid’s Plaza del Congreso. These references emerged naturally as the design started to took shape. However, we were certain from the begining about choosing black granite as elected  material for Skateplaza design. We also recognized the crucial importance of the flat ground for street skateboarding. So, we sought the best possible finish our budget allowed and replicated the paving pattern from the flat at PLN plaza.

I belive design process for this Skateplaza is in some way comparable to editing a skate video. You have a lot of recorded clips and tricks, and you have to decide which ones makes the final cut. There were many spot ideas on the table; some made the cut, while others didn't. The idea of ​​creating a "2.0 version" of the PLN ledges was clear from the beginning, but other spots - like Marina bank or the trash can close to a ledge - came up later. We also felt it was important to include standard features like a pyramid, a manual pad or a slappy curb. I believe a key contribution I made to the design process was exercising restraint and carefully selecting spots to stay within our budget and space constraints.

How involved was the local skate community in the project? Were skaters involved in choosing the layout, obstacles or ideas, and did anything change because of their feedback?

Álvaro and Alex were fully involved in the entire process. They were in constant communication with me and the rest of the skateboarding community. This created a very positive dynamic that made it easier for me to convey our vision for this project to the City Council and the construction company. I could unilaterally propose designs that are likely suitable. However, without communication with and validation from the local scene, these solutions - while seemingly correct -might not meet the expectations of future users. I believe this is a fundamental key: fluid and constant communication. We had endless conversations about every detail of every spot, throughout both the design and construction phases. I also want to acknowledge the patience that construction company has shown regarding the continuous adjustments and minor dimensional changes to the original project.

To give an example: right from the begining, we thought it would be a good idea to include a sewer that could be lifted up- something we’d all seen in countless skate videos. We tracked down every single sewer supplier out there and visited industrial parks in search of the perfect model. We debated the ideal size, how to lift it up, and whether it should be fixed or movable. After spending a long time thinking every possible solution, the day before installation, Alex said, "Why don't we do it the way it happens in real life: propped up with a skateboard?" Álvaro quickly found an old deck he had at home, and that’s how we set it up - propped up with a skateboard, just like skaters do on the streets.

Now that the plaza is finished and people are actually skating it, what are you most curious to see? Is there something you designed that you're hoping skaters will discover or use in a way you didn't expect?

Perhaps what intrigues me most, once the whole desig-construction process is over and I step aside, is seeing how the skate scene and the social dynamic within this space evolve. Of course, I would like to see the scene grow and this space become a meeting point for people.

I’d venture to say we’ve thought of every single trick that can be done at the most unique spots - like the trash can, the sewer, or the PLN 2.0. Then again, someone will probably pull off something that catches us by surprise. And this is, in a way, the magic of skateboarding.