Landslide Skate Park

From box rails to frameworks: A Self-Taught Evolution

My path into design didn’t start in a classroom; it started in a 30,000-square-foot warehouse with a circular saw and dial-up. When we launched Landslide Skate Park, there was no “manual” for building an action sports facility. So I became a designer and architect out of necessity.

The Self-Taught Engineer

Before the era of YouTube tutorials and robust documentation, I was teaching myself to code so Landslide could have a digital presence. I was building websites when the web was still a frontier, attempting to express the physical energy of the park into a digital space. This was my first lesson in user experience.

Designing the Experience

• Physical Systems: I designed ramps that had to balance technical precision with user safety.

• Visual Systems: I moved from architectural logic to brand logic, designing skate decks and graphics that captured the park’s identity.

• Experiential Systems: I didn’t just host events; I engineered them. From the DC Skate Shop Shoot Out (commentated by the legend Jefferson Pang) to massive collaborations with Red Bull, Monster Energy, and Vans, I was the architect behind the scenes.

High Stakes & Hard Lessons

I learned to manage the chaos of professional demos and competitions. I navigated the demands of corporate sponsors like Zumiez and coordinated with team riders who expected flawless experiences. Not every event went as planned. I learned through the upsets the logistical collapses and the strategic missteps and they became my most valuable lessons.

Why This Matters Today

Today, whether I am building a design system for a global brand like Ford or defining product logic for the next generation UX, I carry the “Landslide” DNA with me whenever I go. Knowing that the system is only as good as the foundation it is built on. So I don’t approach anything from the safety of my office (behind my display), I feel it through my experiences with the complex ecosystem of vendors, users, and stakeholders that live and breathe this experience every day.