Russian skate design and build company Legato has transformed a disused Lenin monument square into a skatepark.
俄罗斯的 Legato 滑板设计&建筑公司将一座废旧列宁纪念碑广场，改造成了滑板公园。
The Lenin monument in question is located in a small town outside Yekaterinburg, Russia. This town is actually home to two large Vladimir Lenin monuments. One, created by famous sculptor Sergey Merkurov, has been vandalized, with vandals painting Lenin's suit jacket yellow. The monument relevant to our story, however, created by an unknown artist, stands in a park in the town center.
According to the Russian Skateboarding Federation, the square surrounding this monument had been in a state of semi-neglect for many years. Local authorities had attempted to improve it, but the results were unsatisfactory.
该列宁纪念碑位于俄罗斯叶卡琳堡郊外的小镇上，这里其实有两个弗拉基米尔·列宁的大型纪念碑。一个是由著名雕塑家 Sergey Merkurov 创作的，但已经遭到破坏，破坏者把列宁的西装外套涂成了黄色。据俄罗斯滑板联合会称，该纪念碑所在的广场多年来一直处于半废弃状态。地方当局曾尝试改善它，但结局却不尽如人意。
In 2019, authorities attempted to revitalize the space by installing a street food kiosk at the monument's base. However, just six months later, it was dismantled following public outcry, as "the kiosk's actual appearance was inconsistent with the approved design."
Last month, taking a different approach, authorities built a skatepark surrounding the statue. This was designed and built by Legato Construction, the company we mentioned earlier, who have a history of building numerous skate and action sports parks.
2019 年，当局在该纪念碑底部安装了一个街道食品售卖部。可六个月后，却因为居民的愤怒而拆除，因为“售卖部实际外观与批准的设计不一致。”
上个月，当局采取了不同的方法：他们在雕像周围建造了一个滑板公园。由我们说的 Legato Construction 设计建造。Legato 此前已经建造了多个滑板和极限运动公园。
According to unofficial statistics, an estimated 6,000 Lenin monuments still stand across Russia, dating back to the Soviet era, although thousands more have been dismantled or damaged.
However, finding ways to redesign and integrate them into their surrounding spaces has consistently proven challenging. Repurposing these monuments often remains an "urban taboo."
据非官方统计，苏联时期开始至今，俄罗斯依旧有大约 6,000 座列宁纪念碑矗立着（已有上千座遭到拆除或破坏）。但重新设计他们并和周围的空间共存，一直是一个挑战。许多改造纪念碑的行为，仍是“城市禁忌”之一。
The initial plan was to build a standard skatepark surrounding the monument, but Legato proposed integrating the monument itself into the design.The Skateboarding Federation reported that local officials were initially hesitant, stating, "but thanks to open dialogue between [architects and local officials] and a shared effort to develop the concept, both parties eventually found common ground."
The result is a park built entirely of polished concrete tinted with blue pigment. Vertical transition features wrap around all four sides of the Lenin base, with ledges built into the back.Throughout the square, Legato also added features like benches, ledges, rails, curved banks, and a funbox (described as a slanted round ledge), creating a fun and open skatepark.
大家最初的计划是在纪念碑周围建造装标准滑板公园。但 Legato 提议可以结合整合纪念碑本身。滑板联合会表示，当地政府最开始有些犹豫，“但由于（建筑师和地方官员）之间的公开对话，以及对这个概念的共同努力，双方最终走到了一起。”
最终的结果就是，整个滑板公园由带有蓝色颜料的抛光混凝土建造。垂直壁环绕着列宁基座的四面，背面还有台子。在整个广场上，Legato 还增加了长椅、台子、杆子，弧面和一个 funbox（倾斜的圆形台子），将其打造成有乐趣，又具有开放性的滑板公园。
Upon completion of the project, public reaction was divided:
Many were outraged, stating, "Any act of desecration is unacceptable. Those who permitted this must explain themselves to the public and be held accountable. Following this logic, we might as well grill kebabs over the eternal flame." Another sentiment expressed was, "This is like doing a wedding waltz on your parents' grave."
Conversely, others offered a different perspective: "If the space is being put to good use, I'm happy about that. Because, more importantly, it helps young people understand that Lenin has no inherent connection to the physical space itself... The fact that skaters are utilizing this space is a positive development. Otherwise, it would just remain a lifeless place."
项目完成后有很多不同的声音：
有许多声音表示：“任何亵渎，犯罪都是不可接受的。谁允许这样做，谁就需要向公众解释自己，并承担责任。按照这个逻辑，我们不妨在永恒的火焰上烤烤肉串。”以及“这就像在父母的坟墓上跳婚礼华尔兹。”
而另一种声音则是：“如果那个空间得到了很好的利用，我对此感到高兴。因为更重要的是，青少年明白列宁与这个地方本身没有关系……滑手正在利用这个空间的事实是积极的。否则，它只是一个没有生命的地方。”
The project also garnered positive reactions from many within the skateboarding industry and professional scene. The Russian Skateboarding Federation defended the project, stating it was "not disrespectful" and argued it would stimulate interest in history through a modern form:
"Nowadays, skateboarding is not just a sport – it's part of urban culture and a means of self-expression. Integrating historical objects into a new context can foster curiosity about the past, encourage learning, and even stimulate civic engagement. Across the country, many monuments are in poor condition. The public attention this project has received might become a catalyst for their revitalization."
In China, many similar squares have served as crucial hubs for local skateboarding culture, thanks to the presence of perfect flat ground, smooth ledges, and banks. What makes the Russian case different, however, is that the controversy extends far beyond the repurposing of a single monument; it touches upon a deeper question: How should we engage with the symbols left behind by history? Should we allow them to decay in silence, or should we imbue them with new meaning?
来自很多滑板业内和专业人士的声音也是积极的。
俄罗斯滑板联合会称该项目“没有不尊重”，并称这将通过现代形式激发对历史的兴趣：
“如今，滑板不仅仅是一项运动——它是城市文化的一部分，也是一种自我表达的手段。将历史对象融入新的背景，可以培养对过去的好奇心，鼓励学习，甚至激发公民参与。全国各地，许多纪念碑状况不佳。该项目受到公众的关注可能会成为其恢复生机的催化剂。”
在中国，很多类似的广场都因为完美的大平地，和光滑的台子，斜面的存在，而成为当地滑板文化的孕育之地。
但不同的是，这场在俄罗斯的争议远不止关乎一座纪念碑的改造，而是触及了更深层的命题：我们该如何对待那些被时代遗留的符号？是让它们在沉默中腐朽，还是赋予其新的意义？
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