When London's Selfridges opened in 1909, few would've thought the legendary department store would host a permanent skate bowl more than a century later.
It's the United Kingdom's second-largest retail space.
Selfridges survived World War II bombings and became a symbol of London's lively Oxford Street, with over 250,000 people visiting the store weekly.
Until 2018, a small percentage could be skateboarders looking for apparel and accessories.
However, since then, the number of passionate skaters entering the majestic main entrance has most probably skyrocketed.
The reason is unusually surprising - there is actually a rideable skate bowl inside the premises.
But why would a classical department store like Selfridges want to host a skateboarder's sanctuary in a Grade II listed commercial space?
The remarkable story honors the founder's belief that shopping should be a fun adventure and leisure time.
Harry Gordon Selfridge knew his Oxford Street store could be a welcoming environment and a social and cultural landmark.
Selfridges and Skateboarding
So, in 2018, Selfridges partnered with The Mighty Mighty, Brinkworth, and Four One Four to design a genuine in-store skateboarding space featuring the world's first fully enclosed skate bowl.
The installation showcased a 360-degree wooden exoskeleton, revealing the underside to highlight the construction process.
Overhead, a cocoon-like framework keeps skaters contained and enhances structural stability.
At first, it might look like an odd and weird idea. But after snubbing it, you ride it.
Interestingly, this was not the first time Selfridges had a go on skateboarding.
In 2014, the British institution partnered with HTC to build a temporary 18,500-square-foot pop-up skatepark in the former Selfridges Hotel behind the flagship store on ever-busy Oxford Street.
But The Bowl is on another level for its bold approach.
The Design
The primary material used was birch plywood, assembled like a three-dimensional puzzle.
The bowl's shape is formed by vertical ribs supported by horizontal braces, creating a double-layered lattice of 18 mm plywood for strength and flexibility.
Each component was custom-made and cut using CNC technology based on a 3D digital model that precisely located each piece.
These sections were then bolted together on-site with flush dog bone joints, minimizing the need for extra materials.
The challenge was to design something that could fit the available space, making the free-standing structure independent of the building but still complementing the surrounding architecture.
A unique "hip" in the bowl's side was included to accommodate a column, adding a bend that serves as a skate feature.
To enhance both the skater's experience and spectator visibility, a clear curved polycarbonate section at the top of the ramp extends the skateable area while maintaining a line of sight.
Have skaters hit their heads on the birch plywood elements? Yes, they have, but there's nothing a bit of attention and a helmet won't fix.
From Short-Term Installation to Permanent Skate Hub
The Bowl at Selfridges was built upon impressive numbers.
The rider's pool required 320 hours to design components in 2D and 3D, 720 hours to make them in the workshop, and 2,400 hours to build on-site.
The 95-square-meter bowl area took 30,000 fixings, 5,000 meters of CNC-cut plywood, and 40 meters of coping steel.
Lastly, the indoor skate bowl weighs six tons.
But where is this unique skate venue at Selfridge London's flagship store? At the Designer Street Room.
Initially, it was supposed to be a short-term installation, but the structure became a permanent resident at the department store.
A Ride With a View
While skating in the wooden arena, skaters have a privileged glass window view of the corner of Oxford Street and Duke Street, where hundreds of thousands of people and red double-decker buses move frenetically from one side to another daily.
The innovative customer experience initiative introduced by Selfridges aimed to address urban culture enthusiasts and boost streetwear sales.
And it really paid off. Mr. Selfridge would be proud.
Suddenly, London, known for decades for its thriving skateboarding community, had a legit shredding hub in the city's most noble artery, managed by pro skater Ross McGouran.
Anyone older than seven is welcome to drop in and experience The Bowl on floor 1.
They can book their hour and have skating lessons on how to surf the wooden wave lines.
The unassisted Open Skate Session (advanced riders) is complimentary, while the one-hour 1-2-1 Skate Lesson (intermediate riders) is £20.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com