The Seattle Center Skatepark finally opened a year and a half after the old park (opposite the EMP) was demolished to make way for the Gates Foundation. The bulk of the $2.1 million budget came from the sale of the old land; and the state threw in $800,000 as well. At 10,000 square feet, the new park is about 25 percent larger than the old. Its design, by local firm Weinstein A|U and VBZ/New Line Skateparks, is also much more modern. Skateable streetscape features combine with architectural elements like a vertical glass wall that’s fully skateable! Equally impressive are the laminated glass panels along the park’s south boundary. Designers bought used skateboards on eBay, studied their contours, scratch works, and indentations, then digitized those images onto the glass. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing, but provide a safety and sound barrier between the park and Thomas Street. (Open daily during daylight hours.) BRITT THORSON
