Support this project
Surf Ghana, a collective dedicated to galvanize the burgeoning skateboarding scene in Ghana, is pleased to announce the construction of Freedom skate park, the country's very first fully functional skate park in the heart of Accra
As more than just a simple skate ramp, Freedom Skate Park will include coaching programs, art workshops, a Wi-Fi cafe, and the country’s very first skate shop, to connect young Ghanaians and develop creative possibilities in an environment that promotes inclusivity.
It is Accra’s first recreational center, nestled in the heart of one of Accra’s trendiest neighborhoods to be a wonderful chance to develop sustainable tourism through skateboarding.
Since 2016, Surf Ghana’s core mission has been to offer easy access to board sports for youth across Ghana. Presently, the ever-growing community of active skateboarders has created an ecosystem that supports well-being, creativity, and entrepreneurship that is all 100% Made in Ghana. This is a project for us — by us. We aim to use the inclusiveness of board sports as a bridge to urban sport life for Ghana’s most marginalized local population.
Surf Ghana also wishes to encourage the space as a training ground for Ghana’s possible inclusion in the skateboarding category of the 2024 Olympic Games.
The construction of Freedom Skate Park will solidify the growth of board sports in Ghana, and help the youth participate in creative activities that build confidence, self-esteem, and provide a valuable platform for self-expression.
Design studio Limbo Accra is on hand for creative direction as the architectural lead, with a mission to “deliver afro-utopian spatial justice for all,” an urban ecosystem in harmony with its local population.
Limbo Accra’s core goals of sustainable, redistributive and community-led development are all met with Freedom Skate Park; challenging Ghana's urban development sector to embrace new models that create meaningful opportunities for the youth through novel architectural designs.
Limbo Accra’s spatial design team, in collaboration with Surf Ghana and Wonders Around the World, brings forth the visionary design for Freedom Skatepark. The park is the first of its kind as it bridges the gap in the recreational landscape in Accra, by creating both a space for skateboarders and the community at large.
The community led design process has informed the programming. The park has a moldable art space, a community planted green area and a co-working hub. Built with contemporary and ancient techniques the park is imagined to be a bustling space and a new urban site for the whole of Ghana: inspired globally - created locally.
The design straddles between the two big ambitions for the project: one where everything is “skateable” and the other where everything is open, green and recreational.
This is achieved through a design move, where a skateable access pathway winds its way around the park connecting various programs like the skate arena, the skate hub and the landscape. This allows visitors to be nudged through, instead of around the park, creating a tingling invitation to jump into the sport.
In Accra, a rapidly urbanizing West African metropolis, the park landscape is built on theunderstanding of local ecosystems. It is a tropical garden with versatile use and opportunities forurban farming. A recreational landscape that offers shade and respite from the tropical climate.
The Skatehouse is the headquarter of the park. It works as a laboratory for social change, inclusion and equality, by being open to youth in need of a public space. The structure is made up by a volume divided into two blocks and separated from each other by a small inner garden.
Responsibility and urbanity is at the center. The skate house includes a workspace, a gallery and a skate shop, accommodating the needs of the Ghanaian youth, while being surrounded by a beautiful park. At all points, huge windows are overlooking the main skate area, creating a space in symbiosis.
Job creation will be paramount, as the overseeing of the site will be entrusted to local professionals. The Skate Park, made also in partnership with Wonders Around the World (WAW) and Space Accra, will be furnished with basic social and skate amenities to ensure the complex excels in high performance on a global stage. The construction will be executed by highly skilled local artisans, incorporating locally sourced and recycled materials.
.png)
