Skateboarding and the City

The book is superbly researched, colorfully and beautifully illustrated, and thoroughly analyzes the topic. It has the physical appearance of an elegant coffee-table book combined with outstanding scholarship, effectively employing theory and empirical data, particularly the oral and written testimony of participants. * CHOICE * There's absolutely no way I can do the work justice here the book is incredibly thought-provoking, especially from the perspective of actually being a skateboarder. I highly recommend it. * Sidewalk Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City, 2001) * SA fine book that I recommend to any skateboarder who can read at a college level. * Big Brother Skateboarding Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) * This is an amazing book and a real surprise A first. Pick it up and youll learn something interesting about the cities you skate in; you might even learn something about skating itself. * Slap Skateboard Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) * Skateboarders help us to think about buildings and their use. Borden argues that they draw our attention to the city as the site of perpetual change. * The Independent (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) * Borden owes as much to 30 years of personal passion and experience as he does to any architectural or social theory. * The Architects Journal (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) * Iain Bordens contribution to the field must be considered a milestone ... Incorporat[ing] a great volume of visual and textual material [this is] an interesting account that will attract both passionate skateboarders and academics who seek to broaden their understanding and appreciation of this small but remarkably influential wooden board. * Brief Encounters *

Iain Borden is Professor of Architecture & Urban Culture, and Vice-Dean Education, at the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture. Alongside numerous academic publications on architecture, cities, critical theory, public space, film and photography, Iain has been a skateboarder for over 40 years, and has advised numerous city authorities, charities, developers and the media about skateboarding culture and skateparks.

Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Introduction SECTION ONE Skateboard Scenes 2. Skateboards Scooters and Surfing Old School New School 3. Living by the Board Freaks and Geeks Everything in Between Home Turf and Foreign Lands Beer and Barneys Positive and Loving Middle Age Shred All Girl Skate Jam Polycultural Practices 4. Affiliate Worlds Being Professional Companies and Brands Organizations and Control Boom Boom HuckJam 5. Media Worlds Truth and Screw the Consequences Wide-Angled Viewing Skateboarding at the Movies Video Worlds Social Media SECTION TWO Skateboarding 6. Found Space Asphalt and Concrete Waves Forevers Into the Deep End Blue Tile Obsession 7. Skatopia Concrete Utopia Mutant Wood 8. Skatepark Renaissance A New Dawn Plazas and Paths Terrain Vague DIY Skatepark Worlds 9. Super-Architectural Space Body Space Ask the Coping Flow Projecting 10. Skate and Destroy The City is the Hardware Zero Degree Architecture Urban Rhythms Writing the City Decentred Objects Speaking the City 11. Movement Without Words Critical Citizens Beyond the Shiny Product Gifts of Freedom Ban This Skateboarding is Not a Crime SECTION THREE Skate and Create 12. Artistry Graphic Design Art Skateable Sculpture Creativity 13. Do It For Others Public Space Moving History Healthy Living Building Business Building Lives 14. Skateboarding a Magnificent Life? References Bibliography Index