About Us
ANKER RAMPEN was founded in 2009 by Hannes Nockel. In 1995, he built his first skatepark out of wood, with limited resources and a lot of youthful dedication. This was followed by a carpentry apprenticeship, numerous DIY projects in Europe and South Africa, and finally the founding of ANKER RAMPEN in Kiel.
Today, the company is considered one of the leading specialists in skateparks and special concrete construction in Germany. Under Nockel's leadership, ANKER RAMPEN has planned, supervised, and built over 100 facilities across Europe. A passionate skateboarder for over 35 years, Nockel understands skateboarding not just as a sport, but as a school of life that instills values such as perseverance, creativity, and community, values that continue to shape him today.
Why does a community need a skate park?
A skate park is more than just a sports facility: it's a social meeting place where young people can find their place outside of traditional club structures, enabling physical activity and strengthening community across generations. Our parks are designed to be used by a variety of wheeled sports and further promote social inclusion and freedom of movement. A study by the Pullias Center for Higher Education (2020) examined the social benefits of skateboarding. The key findings were as follows:
1. Mental health: Skateboarding has been proven to have a positive effect on mental well-being, especially among young people in stressful phases of life.
2. Community and social integration: Skateparks create meeting places because people of different backgrounds, age groups, and cultures come into contact with each other. These spaces promote respect, intercultural understanding, and a strong sense of community.
3. Resilience and self-efficacy: Skateboarding requires patience, initiative, and perseverance. Skaters learn to overcome setbacks. This ability transfers to other areas of life.
4. Diversity and inclusion: Skaters of color report a greater sense of safety and belonging within the scene.
5. Reduced youth crime: Well-planned skate parks reduce the risk of youth crime because they provide a positive recreational space and a sense of belonging, thus making an important contribution to social infrastructure.
Why do we work with concrete?
The majority of our structures are made from shotcrete, a technique in which concrete is applied under high pressure and smoothed by hand. This technique is ideal for organic, flowing forms and allows for precise curves, radii, and transitions. The impact of the material during spraying compacts the concrete, resulting in an extremely stable, low-porosity surface that is then manually shaped. It is resistant to frost, abrasion, and weathering, and while modular structures made of wood or metal require regular replacement, our concrete structures remain usable for decades with minimal maintenance.
Material with character:
The use of concrete allows for a high degree of individual design freedom unmatched by any other material. We create flowing, precise surfaces and forms that offer exceptional drivability while simultaneously being aesthetically integrated into their surroundings. Combined with greenery, seating, and recreational areas, the structure becomes a vibrant and integral part of the urban environment.
Sealing and sustainability:
A solid concrete structure is a form of soil sealing. We design our systems so that rainwater is channeled away and returned to adjacent green spaces or cisterns. The goal is to preserve the natural water cycle: the surfaces are functionally sealed, but ecologically sound. The unique sealing process and the durability of the materials used offer a clear advantage in terms of sustainability and cost-effectiveness, as the system remains usable for generations.
