Skateboarding and the City

The book is superbly researched, colorfully and beautifully illustrated, and thoroughly analyzes the topic. It has the physical appearance of an elegant coffee-table book combined with outstanding scholarship, effectively employing theory and empirical data, particularly the oral and written testimony of participants. * CHOICE *There’s absolutely no way I can do the work justice here – the book is incredibly thought-provoking, especially from the perspective of actually being a skateboarder. I highly recommend it. * Sidewalk Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City, 2001) *SA fine book that I recommend to any skateboarder who can read at a college level. * Big Brother Skateboarding Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) *This is an amazing book and a real surprise … A first. Pick it up and you’ll learn something interesting about the cities you skate in; you might even learn something about skating itself. * Slap Skateboard Magazine (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) *Skateboarders help us to think about buildings and their use. Borden argues that they draw our attention to the city as the site of perpetual change. * The Independent (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) *Borden owes as much to 30 years of personal passion and experience as he does to any architectural or social theory. * The Architect’s Journal (praise for Skateboarding, Space and the City) *Iain Borden’s contribution to the field must be considered a milestone … Incorporat[ing] a great volume of visual and textual material [this is] an interesting account that will attract both passionate skateboarders and academics who seek to broaden their understanding and appreciation of this small but remarkably influential wooden board. * Brief Encounters *

Iain Borden is Professor of Architecture & Urban Culture, and Vice-Dean Education, at the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture. Alongside numerous academic publications on architecture, cities, critical theory, public space, film and photography, Iain has been a skateboarder for over 40 years, and has advised numerous city authorities, charities, developers and the media about skateboarding culture and skateparks.