Pioneering Dutch engineer, entrepreneur and squash fan Rik Zwikker has come up with a concept that might just change the face of squash forever.
After years of work honing and perfecting various prototypes (one of which still stands in a public park in Amsterdam), Zwikker has produced an outdoor squash court with glass walls, a steel frame and a specialised floor. It’s not only weatherproof, soundproof and wind-resistant, but is also visually stunning.
The court is assembled by placing glass panes on to an outer steel structure with bespoke fixings that are hidden from external view. The panels are expertly adjusted to offer an entirely consistent, smooth surface and hugely reduced external noise. The court floor is made of rubber, providing extra cushioning and grip for players, easy drainage of rainwater and a true bounce.
Zwikker gave his new concept its first public showcase in March at RacquetX (pictured above), a gigantic multi-racket sports festival in Miami, where it stood alongside padel, pickleball and tennis courts, with over 5,000 attendees including brands, investors and players from over 25 countries in a highly visible and dynamic setting.
Then, coinciding with last week’s World Squash Championships, the court was given its official debut in Chicago’s Union Park as the centrepiece of Project Beacon, in partnership with the PSA Foundation.
With its outside walls covered in rotating art exhibits and many different programmes planned to engage the local community, the court is set to make squash more visible and accessible.
The attention that the recent Miami and Chicago events have brought Zwikker’s invention has led to enquiries from all over the world.
Many are labelling his court as a breakthrough concept which could propel outdoor squash into the mainstream by enabling the sport to be played in high-footfall areas such as shopping centres, parks and community hubs, turbo-boosting the sport’s visibility.
“It has been quite overwhelming,” Zwikker tells European Squash. “I’ve had so much positive feedback from everyone who’s played on the court. It looks very appealing. After a lot of hard work, the structure, colours, the floor and walls are all pretty much perfect.
“The name of the project in Chicago is Project Beacon and that’s exactly what we achieved – it’s a beacon for the sport. It all turned out exactly how we wanted it to be.”
One of the court’s big advantages is that it’s modular: i.e. it can be assembled and disassembled quickly. Padel has created curiosity and attention by installing temporary courts in highly visible urban areas and squash now has the product that enables it to do the same.
Zwikker, however, feels the new court’s biggest potential is within multi-rackets facilities where it can sit alongside padel, pickleball, tennis and other sports, becoming part of a varied ‘package’ of activities. Multi-rackets facilities are exploding, and promisingly, many are starting to include squash in their mixed offering (see examples in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Paris, Graz, Kuala Lumpur and Vancouver).
Zwikker explains: “You see lots of investors now building racket venues and wanting to diversify. They are all looking at a combination of padel and pickleball, but now they have an option to add squash as well.
“The advantage of squash is that it takes up less space than a padel court or pickleball court so it’s really easy to add it to a club’s programme. It’s totally feasible. Padel and pickleball are strategic games, but squash adds that fitness element, and you can vary it with different types of ball, racket and tin heights, so it’s adaptable.
“Adding squash at these facilities will enable operators to target other groups, especially younger players who want to play a racket sport but have a better workout.”
Zwikker’s side project has quickly turned into a full-time business. He has several big upcoming projects in America and is excited about the impact his product can make. He says: “Compared to a traditional squash court, this product gives squash a totally new look and feel. It will show the world a completely new image of our sport.”
