(via) The Spanish church of Santa Barbara in Llanera, Asturia had been derelict for many years until a group of skateboarders raised enough money to salvage the 1912 building and turn it into a public indoor skatepark. To paint the faded walls and vaulted ceilings, they (with the help of Red Bull) enlisted artist Okuda San Miguel to work his bright, geometric magic to stunning effect.

As you can well imagine in a city like Vancouver where it rains an average of 166 days a year, all the outdoor skateparks can be a bit of a crapshoot; awesome on sunny days but empty when wet. Despite there being a history of rad indoor spots such as the Richmond Skate Ranch (RIP), the SBC, and the aptly named Dry Spot (not to mention several private venues, including our very own), they are still pitifully few, so a public skate-able space like the church in Llanera (now called “Kaos Temple”) would be venerated with almost holy devotion here.

By no means are we advocating for the desanctification of any local church to allow for a skatepark with speakers in the nave cranking Slayer’s Hell Awaits or anything especially out of the ordinary. Though fundamentally places of worship, Canadian churches often serve their communities in ways that aren’t necessarily ecclesiastic, be they via bake sales, dances, meetings, polling, and so on. The sport is hardly secular by definition (we aren’t the least bit religious ourselves, but we can still appreciate the glory of a stylish frontside air), so adding a mini-ramp to a cloister, nave, transept, or undercroft wouldn’t be untoward. Come to think of it, a half-bowl would nicely suit an apse!

To get a better feel for the stunning space and San Miguel’s work, watch the video below. Photos by Lucho Vidales.

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