Japan continues to move forward with the building of a National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
A wooden lattice design from architect Kengo Kuma was named the winner of the National Stadium design competition, held by the country after moving on from Zaha Hadid in July. Last week, it was reported that the competition was down to two finalists, Kuma and fellow Japanese contemporary architect Toyo Ito.
Kuma’s design features an oval stadium with rings of trees and exposed terraces. The wood and steel roof resembles traditional Japanese architecture.
Rendering via Japan Sports Council (via Dezeen).
While the plans are intriguing enough, one of the main considerations of the design is simplicity. Zaha Hadid’s plan was scrapped because of how costly and ornate it was; Kuma’s is more orthodox, and more likely to not exceed the ¥153 billion ($1.27 billion) budget for construction, design and other work. Japan has a little more than four years to finalize, build, and complete Kuma’s design.
The general rumblings are that Japan wanted a Japanese firm to design the stadium. Hadid released a statement on Tuesday addressing that notion and the Kuma selection.
“We were honored to be selected to design a stadium that would enable Japan to welcome the world for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and bring the 2020 Olympic games to Tokyo, before becoming a new home for Japanese sport for many future generations,” Hadid said. “Sadly the Japanese authorities, with the support of some of those from our own profession in Japan, have colluded to close the doors on the project to the world.
“This shocking treatment of an international design and engineering team, as well as the respected Japanese design companies with whom we worked, was not about design or budget. In fact much of our two years of detailed design work and the cost savings we recommended have been validated by the remarkable similarities of our original detailed stadium layout and our seating bowl configuration with those of the design announced today."
Zaha Hadid's National Stadium concept. Rendering via Japan Sports Council
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Nurturing the Community
The best seat in the house at the new Seahawks Stadium in Seattle isn't on the 50-yard line. It's in the southeast corner, at the very top of the upper bowl. "From there you have a corner-to-corner view of the field and an inspiring grasp of the surrounding city," says Kelly Kerns, project leader with architect/engineer Ellerbe Becket, Kansas City, Mo.
| Aug 11, 2010
Financial Wizardry Builds a Community
At 69 square miles, Vineland is New Jersey's largest city, at least in geographic area, and it has a rich history. It was established in 1861 as a planned community (well before there were such things) by the utopian Charles Landis. It was in Vineland that Dr. Thomas Welch found a way to preserve grape juice without fermenting it, creating a wine substitute for church use (the town was dry).
| Aug 11, 2010
Integrated Project Delivery builds a brave, new BIM world
Three-dimensional information, such as that provided by building information modeling, allows all members of the Building Team to visualize the many components of a project and how they work together. BIM and other 3D tools convey the idea and intent of the designer to the entire Building Team and lay the groundwork for integrated project delivery.
| Aug 11, 2010
Bronze Award: Alumni Gymnasium Renovation, Dartmouth College Hanover, N.H.
At a time when institutions of higher learning are spending tens of millions of dollars erecting massive, cutting-edge recreation and fitness centers, Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., decided to take a more modest, historical approach. Instead of building an ultra-grand new facility, the university chose to breathe new life into its landmark Alumni Gymnasium by transforming the outdated 99-y...
