For Host Cities, the Olympics Are No Game

2021-08-03T13:27:00-04:00

With the 2020 Olympics underway in Tokyo, we reflect on the urban and environmental impacts of the Olympic Games on its host cities. Whether Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024, or Los Angeles 2028, the Olympics suffer from a legacy of fragmenting existing urban environments, accelerating gentrification, and alienating local citizens. Meanwhile, the environmental cost of hosting the Olympics, driven by the construction of new venues and infrastructure, serves as a visible embodiment of our failure to adequately address climate change. Among the challenges, however, there are meaningful steps for improvement.

In honor of the Rio Games, 6 momentous projects from the Olympics' 21st-century history

2016-08-05T12:28:00-04:00

20 kilometer long traffic jams, eleven dead construction workers, and one slain jaguar: the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics has not been problem-free. Zika, pollution and political turmoil came alongside construction delays and problematic venues, with competitors refusing to move into the athletes' village until the wiring was fixed. And yet, aren't these types of problems just par for the course when it comes to the Olympics?

Archinect - Features

For Host Cities, the Olympics Are No Game

In honor of the Rio Games, 6 momentous projects from the Olympics' 21st-century history