Eco-Friendly Skiing in Urban Areas: An Urban Winter Sports Concept

Let’s take a look into the future.

Innovation LAB – From Idea to Master Plan
The visualizations shown below present innovative concepts for sustainable winter sports and leisure destinations right in the heart of the city. The use of modern Skitrax dry ski mats Slopetrax makes year-round skiing and snowboarding possible—regardless of natural snow, artificial snow, or energy-intensive snowmaking.

At the Skitrax Innovation LAB, we develop customized future concepts for urban winter sports and leisure destinations. Together with investors, ski resorts, cities, and amusement park operators, we create tailor-made master plans that optimally combine infrastructure, experiential environments, and economic viability.

We don’t just plan individual facilities—we develop year-round experience spaces with a clear vision, high visitor appeal, and long-term development potential. This creates sustainable destinations that unite sports, recreation, tourism, and urban development into a forward-looking, comprehensive concept.

Innovation LAB—We’re shaping the winter sports destinations of tomorrow.

Ski Park Concept 1: Suburban Rooftop & Bridge Complex

Shows an unused rooftop area of a modern hotel in an urban setting that has been transformed into a lighted slopestyle park. In addition to various sections for riding, there are lounge areas offering views of the city and the mountain

Ski Park Concept 2: Harborfront Jib & Art Park

Depicts a redesigned harbor promenade or industrial site. The course incorporates curved runs, rails for jibbing, and art sculptures right on the water, demonstrating how underutilized harbor areas can be revitalized through urban planning.

Ski Park Concept 3: Public Park Integration Course

Demonstrates the seamless integration of a jump and rail course into a classic city park. The slope takes advantage of the park’s natural topography and ends with an airbag landing mat as well as chill-out areas for picnics and spectators.

Ski Park Concept 4: Urban Plaza Hub

Features a compact ramp structure in the middle of a paved city square (plaza). It combines various takeoff and landing angles with obstacles and skateboard features in the surrounding area.

Training Facility for Olympic Disciplines

Modern Slopetrax mats offer consistent gliding characteristics that closely mimic riding on snow. 

This makes this concept ideal for targeted training in Olympic alpine & freestyle disciplines:

• Alpine Skiing: Ski schools teach children and adults how to ski and snowboard; slalom training for ski clubs to provide technical instruction to children and students. 

• Freestyle Skiing & Snowboard Slopestyle: Obstacles such as rails, boxes, and small kickers allow athletes to practice tricks and train movement sequences.

• Big Air: High inrun ramps combined with safety landing pads (as shown in the image above) provide athletes with a low-risk environment for perfecting complex jumps.

• Acrobatics / Aerials: Reproducible, weather-independent conditions create ideal circumstances for junior teams and professionals.

Creative Use of Hotel Rooftops & Brownfields

1. Hotel Rooftops (Rooftop Parks):
   

• Benefit: Transforms unused flat roofs into high-impact attractions.
• Added Value: Offers guests and locals a unique selling point (USP) and combines sports, dining, and event spaces in an urban setting.

1. Vacant Lots on the City Outskirts & Industrial Brownfields:

• Cityscape Enhancement: Abandoned shipyards, sections of harbor quays, or vacant lots are restructured and visually enhanced.
• Sustainable Temporary Use: Since the mats and ramps are modular, they can be flexibly installed or relocated to other sites as needed. 

A Sociocultural Meeting Place for Youth

• Low-Threshold Access: The central locations eliminate the need for long trips to ski resorts and expensive lift passes. Young people can enjoy the sport right on their doorstep.

• Year-Round Use: Regardless of temperature or season, the parks remain open for use throughout the year.

• Community & Culture: Similar to skateparks, these facilities serve as social hubs. They offer seating, spectator stands, and space for interaction, which fosters community cohesion and youth culture in cities.

This is what the present should already look like!

We provide consulting services for implementation.