do it yourself

Low Holly DIY – Nantes, France

Inspired by Pontus Alv’s concrete sculptures, the first part of this private mini-skatepark began in August 2010, based on night and rainy construction sessions on an rough unused slab of an old farm. It includes several walls, a tall bump, a grindable bank, 2 quarterpipes and a fun pool coping spine in the middle. A corner was just added in august 2012. Low Holy is a nice spot in the middle of nowhere in the northwest part of France, in the city of Nantes, which has already received a lot of visitors and some heavy sessions

Chez Claude DIY – Toulouse, France

Our story is, I think, a great classic! Everything began two years ago, in lack of any curves in our city we decided to take our fate in our own hands and build our own spot! For that it was necessary for us to find a good place, a few kilometers later, an old caterpillar factory in the outskirts of the city would make for a good chill spot. We had the place we would start the “Chez Claude” adventure.

Confusion Magazine – Issue #4

Confusion Magazine – Issue #4 – release date end of Janauary, 2012. Featuring Adam Benson, Matt Grabowski, Balder Lehmann, Ferit Batir, Phil Jackson and Sadam Yoshizawa.

Malmö DIY – Sibbarp Skatepark. 2011

Malmö DIY was the 3rd annual event at the Sibbarp skatepark in Malmö, Sweden. It’s not about the Sibbarp skatepark being D.I.Y., it was build by CONCREATURES, a skatepark construction company ran in Sweden by Dave Toms and Jezza from Australia. The D.I.Y. event focuses on things like grip tape workshops (hosted this year by Zarosh) and other small skater led organizations that are doing their own thing, big or small, without corporate funding. BBQ, bands, Servant shoes for sale on the hood of the Servant van.. you know… no corporate bullshit. Just a small skate event, everyone having a good time, with some full on skateboarding action.

DIY Willits – California

This is a home made pool with obstacles around the deck, somewhere in the wooded mountains of Willets, CA. The pool is real good – an amoeba with a death-box in the deep, shallow stairs, and pool coping all the way around… except over the shallow stairs where there is river rock mortared in for coping (up the ante!). This pool is not the easiest pool to skate. I have skated backyarders that are easier, but it is great nonetheless.

Marginal Way DIY: Seattle, Washington

Marginal Way started as a one ghetto little quarter pipe against the wall under Highway 99. It was one of the only covered spots to skate in Seattle. Bums and garbage was pretty much all there was before the creation of Marginal Way, as the people came together the freeway under pass diy spot started to grow.

Secret DIY in the Woods of Germany

The best way not get your DIY project busted by the government is not to do it in the middle of the city under a bridge, but to do it in the middle of the woods near a small town, and don’t tell anyone where it is…

Happy 20th Birthday Burnside

Burnside is the oldest D.I.Y skate park in the United States and possibly the world. This Halloween I was lucky enough to partake and enjoy the 20 year celebration of the park. This skate park began its form during one Halloween night 20 years ago. Almost every following Halloween there has been some kind of gathering and skating at the park to celebrate its creation and existence. And this year was no exception…

Blackcrossbowl: Basel, Switzerland

Pontus Alv and the locals of Basel built the Black Cross Bowl in 10 days. What did you accomplish this week?

DIY Spot Berlin: GHETTO

Daniel Schmid and Sven Daubenfeld built their own skate spot in Berlin. The ground was too sandy, the wood wasn’t good enough to get enough speed. Two slams, one make. They agreed they efforts were a failure and moved on to the next spot. Better luck next time dudes…