After the Olympics

I have previously been pretty critical of the effect the Olympics have on the host cities, particularly Beijing, although the claims of ruin may have been overstated. [1] That’s why I found Granta’s collection of reflections by writers from various Olympic host cities to be quite fascinating, particularly the divergent thoughts on Beijing.

First A Yi:

Ever since we hosted the Olympics, the sky has often turned very blue and even today it’s still very blue, whereas before the Olympics, leaving the house was sometimes akin to taking a swim in a melancholy ocean of grey.

Then Isabel Hilton

Tourists traipse round the two most spectacular venues, the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube, expensive white elephants in a city rich in grand monuments but low in sporting passion; the great capital is running out of water and the kayaking centre has run dry; the baseball field has turned to sand; the Olympic construction boss is serving time for taking bribes.

Creating a successful Olympic district is a hard problem that requires thoughtful design for both the short lived needs of the games and the long term viability of the new neighborhood. From what I’ve seen, it appears that London has set itself up for a more successful post games transition than Beijing did four years ago. I was particularly fond of the way London infused its history and culture into the games by hosting many of the events in temporary venues set up on palace grounds and sending the long races through iconic parts of London. I hope to see this trend continue.

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1. Regardless of the validity of the claims of ruin, Beijing at least represents a missed opportunity for creating a thriving, vibrant district in a central part of the city.  ↩