DIY Skate Parks Photographed by Rich Gilligan

Something about skateboarding makes it a life-long obsession for those that do it. I have never met a skater who didn’t attribute part (or all) of their identity to this beat-up board on wheels, no matter their age. I’ve seen cities try, and fail, to stop it’s onslaught on their barriers, curbs and rails. But skateboarders always find a way to make ramps from nothing, and that’s what photographer/skateboarder Richard Gilligan set out to capture – the DIY spirit in skateboarding that manifests itself in home made ramps and parks around the world. He traveled through Europe and the US taking pictures of the amazing DIY setups crafted by the locals. These photos don’t show any airs or tricks – they focus on the space itself, documenting the concrete and wood battered by wheels and feet every day. This collection of photos is also available as a hardcover here – check them out below.

FDR Skatepark, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Derry, Northern Irelandv

New Bird Skatepark, Liverpool, U.K.

Munich, Germany

FDR Skatepark, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY

Punk Girls, FDR, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

Nottingham, U.K.

‘Dick’s Bowl,’ Oxford, England

Blackcross Bowl, Basel, Switzerland

Flora Bowl, Hamburg, Germany

Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A.

The Peach Orchard, New Orleans, Louisiana

2er Skatepark, Hannover, Germany

Loudini, FDR Skatepark, Philadelphia, PA

Preston, U.K.