International Designer Rich Holland to Redesign Southampton’s Hoglands Park Skate Park

Southampton’s Hoglands Park Skate Park is set to receive a makeover, with international designer Rich Holland leading the re-design. The ageing steel skatepark will be replaced with a new concrete skate park, featuring semi-permanent skateable sculptures designed by Holland that draw inspiration from Southampton’s double tides.

The new plaza-style skate park is part of Co-Creating Public Space, a national project funded by Arts Council England, University of Southampton, Southampton City Council, and with support from GO! Southampton. The project invites communities from Southampton to develop major art commissions, created in conjunction with leading international artists.

The new skate park will be a safer and more open and inclusive area for the skating community. The semi-permanent sculptures will allow skaters to transform the area to create a landscape that changes with trends and community needs.

Steve from Skate Southampton expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “We are extremely excited to be working with Rich Holland to shape the future of the skate landscape of Hoglands Park. Together with Southampton City Council and the John Hansard Gallery we have been working hard behind the scenes to enable the design and build a new free, open, and inclusive space in the heart of our city.”

Hoglands Park is a registered Common under the 2006 Act, and as such, there are heavy restrictions on how much green space can be converted to hard surfacing. However, the stakeholders involved with the project are confident that the new skateable sculptures will meet the needs of residents and visitors while protecting open spaces and creating something visually exciting for the area.

Councillor Lisa Mitchell, Cabinet Member for Housing and Green Environment, Southampton City Council, said, “The skate scene in Southampton is growing, and a newly designed skate park by someone as renowned as Rich Holland is a huge boost. We are committed to ensuring that all our parks have high quality facilities for across the city for all to enjoy, and this project is another step towards that.”

Other skate parks in Southampton include Shirley Ponds, Veracity, Riverside Park, and Hinkler Green, all of which can be used for multiple wheeled sports. A new pump track is now open at Sullivan Road Rec, and there are plans to develop Red Bridge Wharf. The new skate park in Hoglands Park is expected to be an incredible asset for the community, inspiring people across the area.