Monday, July 23, 2012

London Olympics: Olympic Stadium Isn't Built to Last

The Wall Street Journal wrote London Olympics: Olympic Stadium Isn't Built to Last. The architects of the Olympic Stadium had to embrace the temporary. It was surprisingly freeing.

"The temporary aesthetic gave Populous the freedom to 'start thinking about doing the building in a completely different way from anything we'd ever done before, even down to things like materials and colors,' Mr. Sheard says. 'Why do most of our buildings not have a lot of color in them? It's because UV light decimates colors. Architects shy away from colors because within five years they look like a faded version of what they were.' Freed from that concern, Populous could use a broader palette for the stadium.

It also could save money by using 'fabrics that have a very short life span and are very reasonably priced,' says Mr. Sheard. Additional money was saved by putting fewer permanent concession stands inside the stadium and instead relying on temporary facilities just outside the building."

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