Parkour in the Playscape

Parkour, ParWHAT? 

Have you ever been downtown and seen people jumping on hand rails or vaulting low retaining walls, or creatively traversing playgrounds by jumping, climbing, or other acrobatic techniques?  Believe it or not, this has a name: Parkour.  Parkour is the act of moving from point “A” to point “B” while navigating obstacles along the way.

In a nutshell:

 

Parkour, ParWHERE?

Parkour parks are frequently being added to public spaces internationally and the United States has been jumping on board.  It happens in many public parks and playgrounds. We have increasingly been seeing parkour users mixing with younger children on playgrounds. The more interesting the playground the more mixed the users! Here are a few of our favorite examples.  

 

Penzer Park – Langley BC. 

The park demonstrates the infinite physical challenges that parkour parks can provide while also showcasing the opportunities for incorporating natural materials within the public realm.  The components are constructed mainly of dimensional timber and logs. They are laid out in a way that welcomes users of all skill levels.  There is an easy parkour course at the beginning of the area that opens up to a much more difficult open-ended area.  To encourage beginners, signs are located throughout with step-by-step instructions and short demonstration videos accessed through QR codes. The designer, Parkour Visions is paving the way on promoting parkour and it’s presents in the public realm.  

Photo credit: Parkour Visions

Photo credit: VancouverMom.ca

Photo credit: City of Langley

 

Woodward Parkour – Tahoe CA

This Tahoe course at Woodward features a summer camp. Parkour campers learn to use coordination, creativity, spatial awareness, and body mechanics in a safe, high-energy and fun setting.  

 

 

Penny Playground – Chehalis WA

On a cool winter afternoon the only users in this park are a few moms with preschoolers and a small parkour group. In a follow-the-leader style they hop over, squeeze through, and enjoy the park to the fullest. 

 

Then of course there is office parkour…

Keep your eye out for a few more parkour posts from Learning Landscapes Design. Next time we will be highlighting a new project we completed that added parkour to the playground at a middle school.