Dubai, meet your first indoor concrete skatepark

Dubai’s skate scene just got a massive upgrade

Nope, it’s not a typo. And no, co-founders Maysam Faraj and Ali El Ali didn’t make a mistake when they signed up for the trade name. This new Dubai skatepark really is called Gooder, and it lives up to the name.

Located in one of the coolest spots in town, Alserkal Avenue – Gooder Skatepark is Dubai’s first concrete indoor skate park. And it’s something the skateboarding community in Dubai has been waiting for for a very long time.

About the skatepark

The skate area is great for skaters of all levels. Designed by award-winning Studio Pheasant, with roots in skate culture, and built by Latvian experts Mind Work, the park nods to the streets where Dubai’s skate scene first started.

The smooth ramps, rails, and street-style obstacles give plenty of ways to ride, whether you’re trying your first ollie or working on a new trick. And since it’s indoors, you can roll through all year – no summer heat messing with your kickflip plans.

Photo credit: Alserkal Avenue

Slick moves on the ramps and rails aside, within the huge warehouse, you’ll also find a very cool looking central space with a fountain – which kind of resembles a scene out of Minecraft. But it actually has been inspired by Dubai’s Deira Memorial Fountain and traditional Syrian courtyards.

It brings together two elements close to the founder’s hearts: his visits to the Deira Fountain in the late nineties, and his home, Syria. The area was popular back in the day for skateboarders. And of course, Faraj was a regular.

Visitors can also enjoy food and drink, shop at the retail store, visit the exhibition space upstairs, or even chill with a laptop in the community space while the skate action rolls on. Gooder even offers a community space that can be transformed based on your requirements.

So, if you feel the need to shred with mates, you know where to go. Even if you go alone, remember, the skateboarding community is tight knit, so you may even make some new friends along the way.

Oh, and back to the ‘Gooder’ part. In an interview, Faraj stated that the name was inspired by something they used to say at Habibi Skate Shop – his first (online) skateboarding venture – ‘Skateboarding is good, skateboarding with friends is gooder.’