The recently icy relationship between
architects and
skateboarders (think knobbly skatestoppers on building ledges) may now be thawing somewhat, and in of all places, cold cold
Oslo in
Norway, where skateboarding was totally illegal between 1979 and 1989. It's not just reverting back to the good old days when architects were blissfully unaware of the terranical perfection they were creating either - Some are now misdirecting their employers on the purpose of a building, and consulting skateboarders on things like surface and flow. The
Oslo Opera House above is one hell of an example. Take a look at
this 2008 article from
Wired Magazine.
Skateboarding (vaguely borrowing the words of
Ian Mackaye in
Mike Vallely's film
Drive), is about redefining. If a kid can redefine a lifeless gutter or a uninspired parking lot into a place for artistic/physical expression, they can take those skills and redefine themselves and the their entire world along the way. Very interesting to think of that not even being necessary.... but someone else will again redefine I'm sure. In
1980 Mike Watt asked '
who makes the definitions anyway?' - An important question.
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