Adaptive Skatepark Design with Dan Mancina

Dan Mancina is a professional skateboarder known for being visually impaired. In this podcast, Mancina discusses some of the design elements skateboarders look for, in general, in the built environment in terms of both obstacles and backdrops. He also describes what it was like to go from being a sighted skateboarder to a visually impaired skateboarder, and how that changes the way he thinks about design. In addition, Mancina discusses his advocacy work with teaching skateboarding to visually impaired youth and provides insight into what an ideal adaptive environment could be like—both inside and outside a skatepark. 

Learning objectives:  

1. Describe some design elements and landscapes skateboarders tend to be drawn to. 
2. List the types of adjustments made to design at an adaptive skatepark. 
3. Explain how an adaptive skatepark supports the visually impaired community. 
4. Discuss how Dan Mancina would like designers to integrate skateboarding “in the wild.” 

Credits: 0.5 AIA LU/HSW  

Speaker: Aaron Prinz