Jan 11, 2016 8 Questions with: Kanten Russell
I first met Kanten Russell in 2007 at his house in San Diego, through friends of his wife, Julie. I remember inquiring about some of the architectural blueprints he had lying around, and I was amazed to hear about his unique line of work. Kanten got his first skateboard when he was 14, and he grew up skating in Point Loma and Ocean Beach. Eventually, his skills allowed him to turn pro, and he landed skateboard company sponsorships, traveling all over the world on promotional tours and competitions. As a long-time fixture in the professional skateboarding world, Kanten is now a lead designer for Stantec’s Action Sports Group, where he collaborates with multiple stakeholders to plan these valuable community projects. After retiring from skateboarding, he studied civil engineering and landscape architecture as he transitioned into park design. Kanten has now led the design process of over 75 skateparks across the country including the world’s first “green” skatepark in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Skateboarding is one lifestyle that bleeds into so many areas of culture. It is impressive to see how Kanten is able to build upon his passion for skateboarding to extend his career mark by creating community spaces that are authentic to the sport.
Tell us how you transitioned from professional skateboarding to the work you have been doing.
Around 2005, I started to look into what I might want to do after skateboarding professionally for over 12 years. I really felt a need to change things up a bit in my life and challenge myself in other ways, so I began to pursue CAD design and went back to school while I worked at a civil engineering firm. Not long after that, I crossed paths with Mike McIntyre, a Landscape Architect who was designing skateparks all over the world. He gave me the opportunity to use everything I had learned in the engineering world and study the architectural side of design and combine all of those skills into creating skateparks. With my background in skateboarding, it was a no brainer and I’ve never looked back. I definitely have to give Mike a lot of credit for forging the path we are on today by inspiring us to use our unique talents and personalities to brand what we do.
How have you seen the sport change over the decades?
The thing I have seen change in the sport is that kids are growing up learning to ride everything. We had limited terrain available to us growing up so we had to adapt to what we found in the city streets. Riding transition half pipes and backyard bowls weren’t as available. Now that more skateparks are back in the scene, it has given skaters a chance to be more well-rounded and push skateboarding to new levels. Skateboarding is about adapting.
What are you currently working on?
2015 was a big year for us with over a dozen significant parks being completed. Right now we are developing new projects in New England, Eastern Canada, Texas, California, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to name a few. We are also working on BMX tracks, bike parks, and Outdoor Adventure projects that combine everything together into one place. I see multi-use and multi-generational projects becoming the direction of the future for Action Sports.
Where do you find inspiration?
I like to find inspiration in things that have nothing to do with Action Sports. I get inspired by traveling to new places and taking notice of the architecture as well as art and photography. I appreciate good design even when I was involved with design in the skateboarding industry. Thinking about the level of design that went into the boards, clothing, and shoes still carries over into my thinking process to this day.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?
That is a tough question because I don’t think I ever wanted to ‘grow up’. I’m sure if you ask my wife or my three daughters, they are probably still waiting for me to grow up. I never really had a set ambition. Everything I have ever done as a ‘career’ or a job has just happened naturally… it was never forced.
What does your work day look like?
My days are not typical. I travel a lot and like to be out in the world for our projects as much as I can. The most important factor to our success is to maintain authenticity. And to do that, we have to really stay in touch with the skateboarding community if we are going to be working on a skatepark project. Unless you are out riding in the streets and interacting with the users, it is really hard to relate on their level during the design process. Whether I am in the design studio, on site at our projects, or in a meeting somewhere, I just enjoy working with people.
What are some of the challenges that go into planning/designing/building a skate park?
Every project is different. The site conditions, the climate, unique settings, and desired terrain always make for an interesting project that never finishes the way it started. Working with the community to create what they want is the challenge. At the end of the day, you have to strike the best balance possible and the measure of success is seeing a skatepark being well used.
What has been one of your most rewarding projects? In what way?
I feel blessed to have been able to work on projects all over the world, meet new people, and work with Communities to create something that is meaningful to them. The first project I was ever involved with from the beginning was St. Cloud, MN. I was new to everything and had to learn pretty quickly how to handle myself and learn community process. I really felt like I dropped the ball at our first attempt to make that project a reality, and it wasn’t until years later that I had a chance to redeem myself and create a unique skate plaza environment that has a special place in my heart to this day. Of course, I love all of my projects — especially the local ones close to home — like Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Lindo Lake, but the St. Cloud project helped me and our team grow/develop personally and professionally at a critical time.
What’s your favorite post-work destination?
Living in Southern California has its advantages with nice weather year round and chill laid back lifestyle. I like to be close to the water to enjoy the sunsets to unwind. Whether it’s out for a walk with the wife and kids on Coronado Island or out for a nice meal in Point Loma or Downtown San Diego… Ultimately I still just like to ride my skateboard.