Skillful and courageous: The young traceurs are please with the new parkour court.

Defying Gravity

The parkour sport seems to defy the laws of physics – and athletes will now be able to train by overcoming obstacles at the new court at Zollverein. Story by Lisa Heinrich, Markt 1 Publishing house.

The parkour court at Coking Plant Zollverein is developing into a meeting place for young people not only from the neighbourhood. – © Sven Lorenz / Zollverein Foundation

With its industrial architecture and urban design, Zollverein is a attractive venue for parkour - an increasingly popular physical discipline, originating in France, in which participants 'move freely over and through any terrain using only the abilities of the body'.

Two years ago, the Zollverein Youth Forum came up with the idea to establish a parkour court at Zollverein and now they are working with the Zollverein Foundation, landscape architects and specialist parkour planners to develop a new complex in time for summer 2018.

The project aims to offer an alternative to traditional sports like football or cycling, for individuals as well as school groups and clubs. It will serve as a new meeting point for young people and enable both locals and visitors to become 'traceurs' - by improving their endurance and dexterity in the open air.

The obstacles awaiting traceurs cater for both beginners and pros. The complex consists of 600 square metres and includes an beginners-level area with low structures, cubes and poles. These are connected by steps and ramps to the second area, which offers higher and more demanding obstacles. Thanks to the synthetic fall protection, athletes can test their limits at jumps, balancing exercises and climbing tricks without any problem. At night, the facility will be fully illuminated to make for a special training experience.