Tokyo Stadium For Olympic Games

Tokyo Stadium for Olympic Games

Introduction

The Japanese are finalizing details for what will be the 32nd Olympic Games of Modernity. And they have not spared expenses as far as infrastructure is concerned. In this article we will tell you everything about the new Tokyo Olympic stadium. Background of the new Tokyo Olympic Stadium. Built in 1958 as a sports center for the 1958 Asian Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the old Tokyo stadium was the work of architect Kenzo Tage and represented the resurgence of the Japanese people after World War II. Subsequently, it was used for the 1991 World Athletics Championship and the Intercontinental Cup finals between 1980 and 2004 (current Club World Cup). 

Developing

Every year the final of the Emperor Cup and the J Cup was played every year. League. Several rugby games have been played in this stadium. The old Tokyo stadium was demolished in October 2015, after 61 years of life. The objective was to have an enclosure with greater capacity (about 80,000 spectators) for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tokyo’s new Olympic stadium. When Tokyio’s proposal was accepted as the organizer of the Games, the former National Olympic Stadium was thought to rebuild or renew. But in 2012 it was finally decided to demolish it and erect there a new one, after an investment of one billion pounds.

The chosen design was that of the late Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid (died in 2016) but for budget issues – and because many did not like the model – the plans were changed and the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma was hired.

The modifications of the stadium include the cancellation of the retractable roof and the conversion of permanent seats in temporary. In addition, the area of the enclosure was reduced from 71 to 52 acres. One of the headaches they had when building the new Tokyo Olympic stadium was the roof, since to make it mobile steel arches and an additional investment of 300 million yen were needed. 

In total, the works would cost the triple than those of the London Olympic stadium and five times more than the Beijing. The Japan government reached an agreement with the construction company to spend 250 billion yen in total. Shortly after the prime minister announced that the construction works would be canceled, but at the last moment they changed their minds. The retractable roof was out of the budget and in its place a permanent one would be built on the spectators seats (the field is outdoors). The construction of a sports museum was also left aside, VIP rooms and underground parking facilities were reduced. 

With all these changes, the new Tokyo stadium is 13% smaller (and cheaper) than the original design. In addition, the idea of installing air conditioning was abandoned according to the plans of Minister Shinzo Abe, arguing that only the temperature can cool 2 or 3 degrees. Instead, 185 fans and eight sprayers were installed, taking into account that during the summer in Tokyo can make more than 40 ° C. Due to the delay in the beginning of the works – also in December 2016 – is that it could not be inaugurated for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The new stadium has a capacity for 80,000 people during the opening ceremonies (July 24) and Clausura (August 9) of the Olympic Games.

conclusion

For 60,000 spectators during athletics tests (from July 31 to August 9). It will also be used for the men’s football final, dated on August 8. When the Paralympic Games are disputed, the capacity will be even lower (57,000), since they must be adapted to people with different abilities. That is why the temporary seats were thought. Finally and after four years of works, the new Olympic Stadium in Tokyo was officially opened in December 2019. The finished work is well in the Japanese style and its design tributes to the pagoda of the temple of Horyuji, which was erected 1300 years ago. The total cost was 1300 million euros.