Wilkinson Eyre, designers of Rio's biggest Olympic stadium, reflect on the Games' architectural legacy

2016-09-14T05:25:00-04:00

Following the Olympics’ closing ceremony, and as September’s Paralympic Games continue, international attention has begun to shift to the future of Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic sites. These buildings must be built to evolve to accommodate Paralympic and future athletes, and the success of this change will set the precedent for Rio’s regeneration in the long term.

I spoke to Sam Wright of WilkinsonEyre, lead of their sports architecture team, about the firm’s Areanas Cariocas project: an incredible 400m long space for 3 venues and 36,000 spectators, making it the largest stadium at the Rio site. Having utilised his knowledge from the firm’s creation of London’s 2012 Olympic basketball arena, Wright spoke to me about the pressures and privileges of designing this colossal building, and to have, consequently, a huge involvement in the planning of Rio 2016 writ large and the city’s regeneration plan overall.

What have you learned from your involvement in the London 2012 Legacy that has inform...

Rio Olympics 2016: how to watch, and what to expect at the opening ceremony

2016-08-05T13:42:00-04:00

It's finally arrived: the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro is tonight. Technically, the Games are already underway (soccer competitions began on August 3), but the bulk of events will take place after the ceremony. And chances are for those in the U.S., you're nowhere near attending, and you'll be beholden to the broadcasters. Here's what you can expect.

The opening ceremony will be significantly cheaper than historically has been the case—the entire budget for the opening and closing ceremonies for both the Olympics and Paralympics is $55.9 million, less than half of what it had been originally. The ceremony's creative director Fernando Meirelles, the Brazilian director of City of God (2002), has incorporated three thematic "pillars" into the show: sustainability (partially an ode to the Amazon rainforest), smiling (!), and "gambiarra"—a Portuguese expression of resourcefulness.

The ceremony is also scheduled to include legendary soccer player Pele...

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Wilkinson Eyre, designers of Rio's biggest Olympic stadium, reflect on the Games' architectural legacy

Rio Olympics 2016: how to watch, and what to expect at the opening ceremony