A British firm, AECOM has been chosen to design the master plan for Rio 2016 Olympic Game Park. Bill Hanway, the chief architect and Daniel Gusmao, a Brazilian project author will be at the helm of the project. The announcement was made in a grand ceremony at Maria Lenk Aquatic Park, situated right in the middle of the sports complex, which will also serve as the central hub of 2016 Olympic Games. The official reason cited for the firm winning the project is its innovative operational concept, different access for audience and the athletes, plus its emphasis on environmental preservation and the commitment to maintain and preserve the lagoon.
The ceremony was attended by all the senior officials including the sports minister and mayor of Rio de Janeiro. The announcement included three winning projects and three honorable mentions, showcasing the international nature of the contest. Among the honorable mentions were a Portuguese, Brazilian and an Australian firm. In the winning projects category, the third place went to Tomas Fernandez, a Portuguese architect; the second winner was Ron turner from an American firm, while the first prize obviously went to AECOM.
The project encompasses two equally viable scenarios. First one is the Olympics games mode, which includes creating favorable conditions for optimum performance in various sporting competitions. The second one is the legacy mode; under which new and sustainable installation will be made throughout the city in the post Olympic scenario.
The Olympic park will be the host to fifteen Olympic and eleven Paralympics sports contests. The project also talks about the construction of temporary and permanent equipment facilities. Temporary facilities include the hockey center, sponsor villa and tennis courts. Permanent equipment includes science and sports laboratory, media center, athletic track, commercial and leisure enterprises.
In the official statement, the winner added that their main aim is to find the right balance between staging a global sporting event and creating long lasting urban infrastructure, while keeping environment friendly operational practices at the center of the games.
Via: Arch Daily
