California skateboarding brand Vans has revamped its flagship retail space on London’s Oxford Street as an indoor skatepark featuring a 200 sq m travertine limestone ramp.
The sophisticated material departs from plywood and concrete typically favoured for skate ramps and bowls and was designed by Milanese firm Andrea Caputo Studio for the store’s revamp. (Vans first opened its flagship on Oxford Street back in 2019). The structure is constructed from a steel frame and a single block of creamy, polished stone, inset with epoxy resin veining, and features a modular design that can be adapted from display mode to skateable architecture as needed.
Though modular in design, the ramp will be a permanent fixture of the store and will be used for skate lessons, demos and events by the Vans skate team and local skateschools. The multi-transition ramp extends into a half-pipe, running the full length of the West London store.