Southbank Skatepark

This refurbishment and extension of the Southbank Centre’s famous Undercroft restores the iconic skate space which has been used for skateboarding since 1973.

A large concrete skate space with mushroom-shaped columns

Key information

Architect

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Client

Southbank Centre

Value

£800k

Year of Completion

2018

Sector

Services

Challenge

One of the most iconic and recognised skate parks in the world, the space under the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre is defined by its mushroom-shaped concrete columns.

Its restoration reinstates iconic parts, including the small banks and wooden ledges, and reopens over 400sqm of new space for skating, BMXing and graffiti.

We provided MEP engineering and acoustics services for the project, which returned the space to its original 1960s design.

The existing skate park has been extended and the refurbished skate park is connected to a new enclosed arts and education space within the existing Undercroft space, which supports the activities of the Southbank Centre’s Festival Arts School programme.

Since 2013, the Undercroft Skate Space has been preserved through collaboration with Long Live Southbank, an activist group of skaters originally formed to push back against its planned redevelopment. The group crowdfunded the cost of the project which had strong public support.

Our project team

Total of 3 people

Mark Nutley

BSc PhD CEng CPhys MInstP
Director, MEP Engineering
Partner

Josh Rodell

BEng
Senior Acoustic Engineer
Partner

Matthew Waterhouse

MSc BEng AMIMechE
Senior Engineer, Digital Design
Partner

Acoustics

Our acoustics input included helping to design of the rear wall of the skatepark which, despite appearances, has very specific requirements. As part of the skatepark, it was designed to be ridden upon, but as it sits beneath the Elizabeth Hall Foyer – a prestigious events space in its own right – it was vital that the vibrations from the skating activity didn't get transmitted up through the structure, where they could be audible in the space above.

As such, the side of the wall within the skatepark has an independently supported blockwork lining, attached to the structure at the top with special anti-vibration fixings.