None More Black: London's All-Black Basketball Court Shines

Hailed by officials at Brixton's Black Prince Community Hub as "the new home of London basketball," The Regal — a snazzy and royal-looking all-black basketball court used for the World Basketball Festival in June — has now become a permanent fixture for everything from youth-development leagues to national-level games.

Photos courtesy of Nike

Built by Nike and the London-based design house Hotel Creative, The Regal uses a fully sprung beech sports court made by New York-based Junckers Hardwood Inc. and finished with a distinctive black oil and lettering with gold logos. The court also features walls covered with "flock-effect" street art, gilt-edged baskets and smoked-glass backboards mounted with LED lighting linked to the game clock and shot clocks.

As Hardwood Floors magazine, AB's sister publication, reports; Nike funded the overhauling of the basketball court at Brixton's Black Prince Community Hub for The Regal, which has retractable seating for 160 spectators. The Black Prince Community Hub is co-owned by Better and the Black Prince Trust, two charitable organizations. The Regal court is open to anybody, with regular pick-up games scheduled throughout the week (the schedule can be viewed on the The Regal's Facebook page). Nike even tapped a former England and Great Britain national player, Junior Williams, to develop a year-long program of free clinics.

Simon Charlesworth, brand manager of the Nike brand in the U.K. and Ireland, told DesignBoom, "We want to grow the game, and what better way to do so than with an inspirational facility that is centrally located, undercover and, most importantly, that provides free access to London ballers?"

This video chronicles the court's evolution:

Speaking of black, last month, AB reported that West Salem (Ore.) High School has installed what is thought to be the only outdoor black football field in the United States.