Vassiviere first ride May 13, 2012 - Projet OTRO

Imagine a skatepark extremely compact and highly technical. Imagine that the concrete is phosphorescent so you could ride at any time of the night … That’s Vassiviere…

Vassiviere Skatepark: 1st phosphorescent concrete skateable sculpture

Early July 2012 will open in the middle the French countryside one of the most compact yet technical skateparks ever: the Vassiviere OTRO skatepark. The opening of the skatepark will coincide with the 7th FOSSJ, a gathering of Old School riders that encompasses skaters from the 70’s, 80’s 90’s and anybody that’s not afraid to bring beer and merguez as a tribute to the early sidewalk surfers. The opening of the Vassiviere skateparks marks a milestone in the irreversible worldwide shift from flat (street skating) to trannies (bowl riding).

OTRO is a daring skateable artwork, composed of different bowls, a cradle and three tunnels.

It is not the first skatepark for France nor the bigger, maybe not even the more technical but a combination of several factors makes it particularly interesting. The project originally started early 2007 with the arrival of Koo Jeong-A, an architect from South Korea. At the time of her arrival in Koo Jeong-A had been impressed by the mysterious winter landscapes of the island and the atmosphere that arose from it. From wood sculptures of the International Center of Art and Landscape at Vassivière Island to concrete sculpture including the practice of skate, roller or BMX , Koo Jeong-A has designed it all. In 2009, the Vassiviere skatepark was confirmed as a “Public Command of the Ministry of culture and communication and the Region Limousin” ; the works were given to Koo Jeong-A

Photo David Legoux

and the skatepark has been kept under some kind of secrecy for the past five years… It is with the announcement of the FOSSJ event that the veil was lifted and the buzz started to propagate.

Actually, the skatepark is not supposed to be a skatepark but a piece of art with green phosphorescent concrete. What fluorescent means is that the concrete will be self-lighted from within during the hot summer nights.

The Vassiviere skatepark is located in an island filled with pieces of art spread around a building of Aldo Rossi and has the code name
of “OTRO”, other in Spanish. The concept of OTRO, its ovoid shape, the use of green phosphorescent concrete, its progressive discovery, and its integration in the island meadow make this artwork become an infinite land of investigation, that reflects all details like the light, its link with the site, the atmospheres, the dream and the fantastical.

OTRO is an artwork made of bumps, different bowls and hollows, a cradle and three tunnels.
The Vassiviere skatepark is currently under construction and will open for the 7th FOSSJ, word is that the team Embassy will be present at the time of the opening…

The Vassiviere skatepark has been realized thanks to Koo Jeong-A, Flacassier, Doctor Skatepark and Benoît Moureau at the Centre international d’art et du paysage in the Vassivière island in France and Mike Van Der Ouderaa - Concrete Flow (concreteflow.be)
Vassiviere Otro Skatepark Skateboarding News