The meeting between smooth and rough can be characterized in several different ways. Not only will I portray the physical meeting of different smooth/rough textures in my site, but also the emotional meeting between smooth/rough personalities. I have researched a lot about skater interaction with general public and property owners, and can see that there is a lot of tension between the two different personalities.
Research:
Many people will pass through cities and street-scapes,
but only skateboarders can communicate with the architecture through actions
(such as leaving scratched off paint marks or metal scuffs on popular skating
areas). The activity can provide great enjoyment to the skaters, however it
also provides great frustration to management and general public who like to
view their city tidy, clean and smooth.
Some members of the public view skateboarding as urban
entertainment and providing passing surveillance, however the activity often
causes a conflict for space (with pedestrians, with property owners etc.),
which explains attempts to ban the activity in certain places.
Attempts to ban skaters using certain properties or skating in certain areas
The youth involved in skateboarding
negotiate their claim on specific spaces in groups. The colonizing of public
spaces for skateboarding does not remain free of conflict. Groups of skaters
are continuously putting public spaces into and out of use. In a sense,
skateboarders can be considered the ‘nomads’ of the city. Their ‘traveling in packs’
results in a map of skate locations which is constantly changing.
“…you see a post and you think, wow, I can
ollie over that and then if I ride this way I can boardslided or do a noseslide
over that bench. You can do it backside or frontside. There are a thousand ways
to approach an object…” - Local Amsterdam skater
They are the subject of amusement but also
the source of some annoyance. The way in
which skaters use the city is essentially different from that of the rest of
its inhabitants and visitors. Their ‘cool’ attitude and ingenius acrobatics
catch the eye and form a new kind of urban entertainment. However the
alternative use of space also leads to conflict in a number of ways. In busy
commercial areas of the city, skaters clash with pedestrians and other modes of
transport. The local government occasionally provides suitable facilities, but
for skaters, the city itself remains the ultimate paradise.
The urban character of skating seems to
express itself in the temporary colonizing of public spaces and routes.
Resources:
"Skateboarders exploring urban public spaces" Journal of Housing & the Built Environment
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