In June 2020 MARELD won the tender to redesign and modernise an old but very well used skate park in Linköping, one of Swedens older ones from modern time. The commission included the preparation of tender documentation for the public tendering of the project works. Wheeled activities were a common theme throughout the design and dialogue process which included several meetings with the local skateboard and Roller derby clubs. As part of the dialogue process, it was also decided that the project and park would be re-named Ekholmens Skatepark – a new neighbourhood park for the Ekholmen area of Linköping.
In close consultation with the municipality the project soon grew to include adjacent park areas and new public toilets. Points that were identified as important for the development of the neighbourhood park/skatepark were: the renovation of the existing skatepark area for beginners, spectator seating, the creation of new park spaces and meeting places, larger grass areas to facilitate more informal park activities such as picnicking and frisbee, a reduction in maintenance requirements and a clear directive to increase biodiversity in the area.
For MARELD, it was particularly important to achieve a good balance between skateboarding, roller derby and the new park functions. Other important design factors included the introduction of suspended lighting to reduce the number of lighting poles and thus, the creation of more functional park spaces. Sustainable urban drainage solutions to delay surface water run-off were introduced to all new park areas. Ekholmens skatepark was open to the public in May 2022.
