Category Archives: DESIGN

It was supposed to be the showpiece of New York City’s new subway system. Stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers adorned its curved walls and arched ceilings. According to Daily Mail, City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after opening its doors in 1904. In photographs by John-Paul Palescandolo and Eric Kazmirek.

It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway. The station features stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers, which adorn its curved walls and arched ceilings. Now passengers can stay on the 6 train and watch the train make its turnaround, seeing the interior of the beautiful station for themselves. The pride and joy of the underground soon gathered dust and became long forgotten, a mere turning point for the 6 train which runs from Pelham Bay Park to Brooklyn Bridge. Its curved tracks were deemed unsafe for the new, longer trains, and, as it was less busy than nearby Brooklyn Bridge station, authorities decided to shut it down. City Hall was designed by Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino and is unique among the original IRT stations.

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Designed to mimic the sloping school yards and dried concrete waterways of Southern Califorinia, where skateboarding’s roots reach deepest, the snake run is the most fundamental form of all skatepark designs. While most snake runs are characterized by a long narrow path—or ditch—flanked by banks and berms to channel the rider through without pushing, the freshly poured concrete at Pennsylvania’s legendary campWoodward resembles something significantly gnarlier. Designed and constructed by California Skateparks, arguably the world’s best skatepark builders, Woodward’s snake run stretches over 1,000 feet punctuated with head high jumps and quaterpipes.

Since welcoming BMX riders in 1980, Woodward has become the most recognizable name in action sports facilities. While the camp has always been about innovation, the construction of the 20,050-square-footTarget Plaza by California Skateparks in 2009 marked the end of an era dominated by wooden ramps, proving a dedication to staying ahead of the curve in terms of concrete skateboard and BMX park design. Now, with the completion of phase two of the snake run, Woodward is returning to skateboarding’s roots while still keeping an eye on progression.

By building the snake run in phases, California Skateparks is able to adjust their designs on the fly, adding or removing features at will. Even with all the pieces connected after more than 10,000 man hours, Kimler still sees the project as a work in progress. “Next year we can continue to add,” he says. “Maybe we need pocket here, lip there, berm here—it’ll get created, whatever’s awesome.”

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