Construction of the New Freestyle Academy LAAX

The Freestyle Academy LAAX is the original. As the first indoor freestyle hall in Europe, it offers fun and action in a range of disciplines all year round, regardless of the weather. Since December 2010, freestyle tricks can be learnt here in a playful way in a professional, safe environment. The popular freestyle hall in Laax Muschetg is now being completely rebuilt and will reopen on 1 August, 2024.

Since its opening in 2010, the Freestyle Academy LAAX has established itself not only as a training facility, but also as a meeting place. It is a place where children, young people, families and adults can share their enthusiasm for freestyle sports. After the tennis hall that was built in the 1970s and which housed the Freestyle Academy was demolished, the Freestyle Academy had to temporarily find a new home. Two new rocksresort houses were to be built at its old location. So the Freestyle Academy temporarily moved into a circus tent belonging to the National Circus Knie in Prau la Selva in Flims. However, it was clear that the Freestyle Academy should return to Laax Muschetg – even bigger, even more action-packed and even more professional than before. The proximity to the mountain and the snowparks and the combination of on- and off-snow training is what makes this location so special. It is also undisputed that the Academy greatly enhances the entire leisure programme around the rocksresort.

Years of experience and new inspiration

The new hall is intended to reflect the change and progress that freestyle sport has undergone in recent years. Those responsible for the project gained inspiration from discussions with coaches, national and international competitors and observing trends in the scene. They also picked up interesting insights from other destinations and winter sports resorts on their individual trips. Last but not least, the input and ideas of their own employees were also collected and taken into account. The Freestyle Academy LAAX has always been characterised by a passionate team. According to them, there is no such thing as perfect. The hall should constantly evolve and offer a modern infrastructure. One thing is essential for this: space. And that is exactly what the new hall offers:

At 2,000 square metres, the new Freestyle Academy is significantly larger than the old hall with 1,300 square metres.

Those responsible cite the underground location of the new hall as a particular challenge during construction. This made it difficult to deliver the building materials, many of which came from the old hall. True to the Greenstyle guiding principle of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, everything that could be recycled was reused. However, parts that had to be transported in large pieces posed a major challenge for the team and a few adventurous manoeuvres were necessary to get them into the hall. However, all the parts found their place and are now being partially enlarged and extended. A total of around 200 cubic metres of new wood will be used.

What's new?

The disciplines remain the same: skateboarding, trampolining and parkour. However, much more attention is being paid to skateboarding: visitors will be able to skate on a total of three levels in the future. The skatebowl will be built on the lowest level, at the heart of the Academy. This will be doubled in size, with a deep end and different heights. This will provide more creativity and possibilities. On a second level, there will be a miniramp and a concrete flat zone – perfect for skaters who want to learn or improve their technical skills. A playful street skate area will be built on the third level, leaving nothing to be desired. And then, of course, there is the vert ramp. It was built in the old hall in 2019 and is also a must in the new hall.

Four Grand Master trampolines, a Fivesquare trampoline plus a Grand Master trampoline with connection to an airbag will be installed in the trampoline zone. The zone is complemented by an airtrack for acrobatics and an additional freestyle trampoline for jumps and tricks with skateboards and BMX bikes.

The parkour zone will also be enlarged and designed more creatively. A jumping tower and an airbag complement this zone and provide playful variety. With a spacious public zone with a café as well as a TSG and Vans store, the new Freestyle Academy also offers enough space to linger and watch the action in the hall.

Who should visit the new Freestyle Academy LAAX?

On the one hand, the focus is on promoting freestyle sports in popular sports. KIds, families, teenagers and adults should be able to come and go here in equal measure. On the other hand, it should also simplify the path from popular sport to professional sport. It will offer first-class training opportunities for professional athletes and those who want to become professional athletes. The new hall thus promotes the exchange between amateurs and professionals and brings the feeling of LAAX into the hall, where beginners and experienced athletes can meet at eye level. This spirit makes the Freestyle Academy a special place that attracts freestyle enthusiasts from far beyond the region and sustainably enriches the leisure facilities around the rocksresort. The vibe that prevails on the mountain, where kids train next to their idols in the park or in the pipe and sit next to them at the table in the Caffè NoName, can also be felt here. After all, this is the motto of the Freestyle Academy: Freestyle is for everyone.