High profile events like the Olympics and World Cup can have a huge impact on host cities and countries. One potential issue is the legacy for the stadiums and buildings that host parts of the events. Some of them only see a small amount of use and then become difficult to manage and maintain. In many cases they simply become empty and derelict. However, adaptive reuse can transform them so they get a new lease of life. This can make them amazing pieces of commercial architecture, homes or public buildings.

Examples

There are plenty of examples of old stadiums that encounter issues. The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro is a historic venue but it had great difficulty after the 2016 Olympics. There was a legal issue regarding management of the stadium and the power even went off because of unpaid bills. Problems with vandalism and upkeep meant that it was unused for many years. Luckily, there are new managers so the stadium may have a brighter future.

PyeongChang Stadium in South Korea is another great example. It was built for the 2018 Winter Olympics but did not leave a lasting legacy. Although it cost $109million to build, it was only used four times and eventually was demolished.

There are plenty of other stadiums and buildings that stand empty and fall into disrepair. Usually they are too expensive to maintain or do not suit the needs of the local area afterwards.

Adaptive reuse

However, there can be brighter futures for some of these stadiums. In fact, there are a number of incredible adaptations.

The National Aquatics Center in Beijing was one of the most impressive venues for the 2008 Olympics. The legacy of the building and event live on today. It is now the largest waterpark in Asia and has an upper floor with great facilities, including a museum for Olympic History.

The former velodrome and judo arena from the Montreal Olympics in 1976 has an incredible use today. It is the Montreal Biodome and is home to four distinct ecosystems. These provide habitats for various animals and gardens for various plants and flowers.

There are lots of other fantastic examples of new uses for buildings and stadia. It should inspire architects to look at other ones to see how they can reuse them. The great fact is most of these structures have really great bones. It just takes an innovative plan and the right designs to make them into something new.

Commercial architecture

Coffey Architects has experience with adaptive reuse and how properties can transform to suit different uses. Our team have a great deal of knowledge and the very best tools at their disposal. As a result we are ready to take on any kind of project.

If you want to discuss commercial architecture with us, please get in touch. We always look for creative solutions to any issues you may have.