New construction of the Freestyle Academy LAAX

The Freestyle Academy LAAX is the original. As Europe's first indoor freestyle hall, it offers fun and action in a wide variety of disciplines all year round, whatever the weather. Since December 2010, freestyle tricks can be learned here in a professional, safe environment. Now, the popular freestyle hall in Laax Muschetg is being completely rebuilt and will reopen on August 1, 2024.

Since 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, teenagers, families, and adults can share their enthusiasm for freestyle sports. After the tennis hall built in the 1970s, which housed the Freestyle Academy, was demolished, the Freestyle Academy had to find a temporary new home. Two new rocksresort houses were to be built on its old site. 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 – and be even bigger, more action-packed, and more professional. The proximity to the mountain and the snow parks, and the combination of on- and off-snow training, make this location ideal. It is also undisputed that the Academy greatly enhances the entire range of leisure activities on offer at the rocksresort.

Many years of experience and new inspiration

The new hall is intended to reflect the change and progress that freestyle sports have undergone in recent years. Those responsible drew inspiration from discussions with coaches and national and international competitors, and observed trends in the scene. They also gained interesting insights from other destinations and winter sports areas during their individual travels. Last but not least, the input and ideas of their own employees were also gathered and taken into account. A passionate team has always played a decisive role in shaping the offerings of the Freestyle Academy LAAX. For them, nothing is ever perfect. The hall should continue to 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 meters, the new Freestyle Academy is significantly larger than the old hall, which measured 1,300 square meters.

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, most of which came from the old hall. True to Greenstyle's motto of "reduce, reuse, recycle," everything that can be recycled is recycled. However, parts that had to be transported in large pieces posed a major challenge for the team, and a few adventurous maneuvers were necessary to get them into the hall. But all the parts found their place and are now being enlarged and expanded in some cases. A total of around 200 cubic meters of new wood is being used in the construction.

What's new?

The sports remain the same: skating, trampolining, and parkour. However, skating will be given much more attention: visitors will be able to skate on a total of three levels in future. The bowl will be built on the lowest level, at the heart of the academy. It will be doubled in size, with a deep end and different heights. This will allow for more creativity and possibilities. On the second floor, there will be a mini ramp and a concrete flat zone – perfect for skaters who want to learn or improve their technical skills. On the third level, a playful street skate area will be built that leaves nothing to be desired. And then, of course, there is the vert ramp. This was built in 2019 in the old hall and will also be a feature of the new hall.

Four Grand Master trampolines, one Fivesquare trampoline, and one Grand Master trampoline connected to an airbag will be installed in the trampoline zone. The zone will also feature an air track for acrobatics and an additional freestyle trampoline for jumps and tricks with skateboards and BMX bikes.

The parkour zone will also be enlarged and redesigned to be more creative. A diving platform and an airbag will be added to this zone, providing more variety for fun and games. With a spacious public zone featuring a café, TSG, and Vans store, the new Freestyle Academy also offers plenty of space to relax and watch the action in the hall.

Who is the new Freestyle Academy LAAX for?

On the one hand, the focus is on promoting freestyle sports in popular sports. Children, families, young people, and adults alike should be able to come and go as they please. On the other hand, it should also simplify the path from popular sports to professional sports. It will offer first-class training opportunities for professional athletes and those who want to become professionals. The new hall thus promotes exchange between amateurs and professionals and brings the LAAX spirit into the hall, where beginners and experienced athletes can meet on equal terms. This spirit makes the Freestyle Academy a special place that attracts freestyle enthusiasts from far beyond the region and enriches the leisure activities on offer at the rocksresort in the long term. The vibe that prevails on the mountain, where kids train alongside their idols in the park or in the pipe and sit next to them at the table in Caffè NoName, is also palpable here. After all, that's the motto of the Freestyle Academy: freestyle is for everyone.