As we enter mid-summer, it seemed a good time to take a break from houses. It’s a summer of sport. We’ve just had the men’s European Football Championships, Wimbledon and now we have the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
As well as a celebration of sport, Olympic Games can be a celebration of architecture as new or temporary stadiums are built and host city’s find creative ways in which to showcase their landmarks.
So the HEM Architect studio has come up with their own competitors for the title of ‘Our Favourite…Olympic Stadiums’.
alan
London Olympic Substation
NORD
“I was lucky enough to go to London for the Olympics & Paralympics in 2012. The building I was most excited to see? A substation! Although the velodrome comes a close second.”
“I loved how carefully thought out this humble substation is. It’s big, bold and monolithic and doesn’t shy away from what it is!”
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t get up close with the building but had to see it from afar.”
anna
Aquatics Centre, Paris
VenhoevenCS and Ateliers 2/3/4
“I’m lucky enough to be going to Paris to see this year’s Olympics, so I’ve chosen one of their venues.”
“The building has been designed to adapt to be multi-functional and used by the community after the games, its structure is mainly timber, and it generates all of its energy from a solar PV roof.”
“The curved timber roof structure looks beautiful from inside, so hopefully I’ll be able to have a look around in a month’s time!”
jacob
National Stadium, Beijing
Herzog & de Meuron & Ai Weiwei
“I was a student volunteer at the Olympics in Beijing working in the press and media. I remember seeing the Bird’s Nest stadium for the first time, it was really breathtaking.”
“The architects were inspired by ceramics and looked to create a bowl surrounded by a steel lattice. But the vast quantity of steel means it’s a very poor building environmentally. “
henry
Piscines Municipals Montjuïc, Barcelona
unknown
“I visited Barcelona earlier this year and I was delighted to find the former Olympic Diving venue is still a recreational hub for the city. Even in the winter months.”
“It is built on the side of Barcelona’s famous Montjuic park, and the raised elevation and panoramic views across Barcelona provide a stunning backdrop for aquatic sporting events.”
paul
Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo
Kenzo Tange
“Built for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. This is a very elegant building with the two mirrored roof forms joining at a central spine supported by two steel cables in tension.”
george
Olympic Stadium of Athens
Santiago Calatrava
“This stadium also known as the Spyros Louis was reimagined for the 2004 Athens Olympics by the famous spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.”
“I’m a huge fan of its sweeping form, the ‘sheltered’ walkway and the wing tips meeting at each end of the stadium.”
“It’s definitely something on my bucket list to visit!”
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