LONDON, Aug 2 — Skate and clothing brand Vans is opening what's best described as an underground cultural centre in London on August 9 that will include a skate park, an art gallery and a music stage.
Situated under Waterloo Station, the infrastructure spans five tunnels and will offer sporting events, concerts and art exhibitions all dedicated to skateboarding and its cultural following, which has become a youth phenomenon over the past two decades.
London joins New York, Berlin and Mexico City in opening a House of Vans, and the grand opening is expected to draw a crowd for which an exhibition called "Scissors and Glue" is planned.
The exhibition is organized by a selection of celebrities including designer Ben Drury, whose influence in the youth art and music industry can be seen on the album covers of British pop artists such as Dizzee Rascal and Turin Brakes.
Other organisers include Louise Gray, whose rebellious designs won her recognition in the fickle London fashion industry in 2007 and a partnership with Topshop.
Musician Trevor Jackson and the skating photographer Gorm Ashurst round out the curators so that the event will include a representative from each aspect of the culture.
Attendees are invited to book a skate or BMX session in the facility's skate park, which is able to accomodate 66 skaters and has a BMX capacity of 30.
Tickets for sessions at the grand opening are already sold out, but booking is available through September 18.
Live streaming of the skate park is available on the House of Vans website, houseofvanslondon.com
