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In its indoor form, climbing first caught on in the US in the early nineties. Since then, ELS has been designing and constructing climbing walls for recreation projects in Arizona and across California, working mostly with our partners at Eldorado Wall Company, a leading designer and manufacturer. We caught up with them recently to hear where the field is headed, with further input from another contact of ours—climber Kyra Condie, an Olympian who knows what it’s like to train at a range of universities and public gyms of all kinds. Five trends came up in our discussions, starting with the most consequential of them all.
Today’s systems use planar plywood panels and gridded holes, with screws to mount the holds. This differs from the earlier systems in which shaped structures mimic geological formations. As Condie says, “these older-style walls attract people to the idea of rock climbing, but plywood is definitely ideal for most climbers.” To be clear, there is a place for those pioneering wall systems. But the newer, planar walls allow for effectively unlimited programming and flexibility in developing the route. When routes are easier to change more frequently, route setters can tailor a run to specific skill levels. These new walls can be enjoyed by someone who is a complete beginner or an elite athlete. As Condie says, the best walls have different options for different kinds of climbers: their attractiveness comes from their adaptability. These wood systems also follow a broader trend toward sustainable materials, which is helpful for our cause as architects. Plus, they’re quite attractive. The entire wall can be turned into a field of colorful supergraphics, and they allow for handholds that are satisfyingly enormous. As Condie says, earlier systems could only allow for small holds. “Now, the biggest you see is the size of me—these are giant circles on the wall.” These entice the climber to use their entire body in gripping the hold.
With the rise of those planar wooden systems comes the growth of adaptive climbing programs for climbers that may have paralysis, amputation, visual/hearing impairment, neuro-muscular disorders, or other physical conditions. Here, the friction of the wall surface is key. For instance, when a person can use only their upper body to climb, the surface texture is smoother, because a rough wall would act as a drag on their lower torso. Also, the use of large holds, especially in corners, encourages adaptive climbers to sit on them for a moment while deciding on the next move. Large holds also enable climbers to wrap or hook their arms around them or people with a prosthetic to stand on easier than smaller holds. The adaptive trend is especially visible in schools, where leaders are pushing to find more ways of addressing the needs of all students, especially those who use wheelchairs. Designing inclusive walls benefits climbers of all abilities, not only adaptive climbers.
As always, designers must make sure that there is clear space—six feet at minimum—around outer climbable surfaces and sufficiently padded flooring below. Beyond their vibrant aesthetic quality, colorful graphics can be used to help people stay within the intended route and below a certain height. Again, it comes down to variation: “Something that’s pretty cool about climbing is that you can have experts and beginners on the same wall, right next to each other,” Condie says. On the wall as much as on the floor, designers should provide adequate space to allow multiple climbers to safely move around simultaneously but also to fall with minimal to no injury. Circulation paths must be distinguished as clearly separate from the climbing/belaying area. It is also important to get the height just right. While top-rope climbing requires much higher spaces, it is important to not make bouldering walls higher than necessary. Condie says, when it comes to injuries, “the biggest thing I see comes from making the bouldering walls too tall. I find that even I don’t like going beyond the 14-foot mark.” Safety training, ensuring the qualifications of users, and controlling access to the climbing wall at all hours are also key to ensuring a safe space.
These facilities don’t necessarily need a lot of space for storage. But especially now that routes are changing more frequently, it is essential to make sure that storage is being incorporated, perhaps behind the wall itself. This means finding a place for the holds but also training boards, harnesses, helmets, and modular elements.
In addition to all the design-oriented factors above, Condie says that her favorite climbing gyms are those with plenty of natural light. Good lighting achieves numerous goals, starting with keeping climbers visible and thus safer. Especially within the broader context of a public facility, daylighting a wall that’s sited in a visible location turns the entire volume into a showcase for users’ fitness and achievements, encouraging onlookers to climb and connecting climbers to the world just outside.