Andy Day

Parkour and freerunning photography

Andy Day is a parkour and freerunning photographer based in London, UK. You can find a portfolio of his photography and a blog about his work at Andy Day's website, www.kiell.com.

His photographs have been used by Adidas, Canon, Native Instruments, Toyota, Stern Magazine, Yota. Andy works closely with Parkour Generations. Andy Day is a regular contributor to buildering.net. You will also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

"Architecture is not an object but a process, not a thing but a flow, not an abstract idea but a lived thought."

- Michel Foucault, The Archaeology of Knowledge (New York: Pantheon, 1972)

My work focuses on the built environment and social interaction, primarily through the emerging art of ‘parkour’ – a method of moving around the city through new and efficient means. Regarded by some as an extreme sport, practitioners challenge both their mind and body to create a complete freedom of movement that is inspirational and produces a beautiful encounter with architecture. The paths defined by city planners are erased and an Escher-like playground is established, presenting and re-presenting unique ways of using our living, social and commercial spaces. In addition, parkour produces a physicality that at first seems completely new but is simply an extension of childhood games and a basic desire to use our bodies.

I hope to challenge our understanding of how spaces are used and appropriated, and offer alternative ways of looking architecture that might otherwise be ignored or forgotten.