Ever since the coronavirus pandemic crippled the world in 2019, it made us question the very basis of our existence. Things such as going grocery shopping, access to basic medical facilities, and attending concerts or sports games became a question of luxury, one that we didn’t have access to at Tokyo Olympic.
Holding the Tokyo Olympics was a calculated risk, and the decision served as a testament to human endurance and perseverance. As the number of cases started dropping all over the world, the world began unlocking and opening its arms to embrace the new normal.
Japan’s decision to host the Olympics was a brave one. The idea of holding an international event when the anxiety concerning new variants of the coronavirus was on the rise was opposed by most people.
A poll held just a week before the kickoff of the Tokyo Olympics showed only 53% of the Japanese population was in favor of Japan’s decision to host the Olympics. However, once the games began, we witnessed athletes come together from all over the world – a sight for sore eyes.
The Olympics instilled confidence in the general public and gave people hope that living with coronavirus wasn’t impossible. The light at the end of the tunnel made people understand the role vaccination plays in normalizing our lives.
While the stadiums where the Olympic events are being held remain deprived of spectators, the online viewership of people watching the games from the comfort of their homes while maintaining social distance more than makes up for it.
There are 43 venues shortlisted for hosting the Tokyo Olympics games. Other than 25 pre-existing facilities and ten temporary facilities, there are eight newly built permanent stadiums.
Let us look at four of the largest stadiums built in Japan for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Japan National Stadium
The Japan National Stadium, also known as New National Stadium, is one of the newly built stadiums used for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games in 2021.
The New National Stadium was rebuilt, and the original building was demolished in May 2015. Once Tokyo submitted the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, the reconstruction of the National Olympic Stadium was to be completed.
The decision to reconstruct the national stadium was made in 2021, and Kengo Kuma was chosen as the architect for the construction. The National Stadium served as the headquarters for the 1964 Olympics.
The materials used in the construction of the Japan National Stadium are what make it so attractive. The stadium’s roof uses a combination of steel beams and laminated lumber and has a truss structure that provides strength against extreme weather conditions and earthquakes.
The stadium can accommodate 68,000 people at once. However, the seats remained empty in this year’s Olympic games; the stadium has been selected as a prominent venue to host various soccer, track and field games.
Tokyo Aquatics Center
Swimming is another vital sport that is most popular during the Summer Olympics. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided that a new permanent Tokyo Aquatics Center be constructed to host the games.
The construction of the new Tokyo Aquatics Center finished in February 2020. The venue comprises five floors featuring a swimming pool, a diving pool, a sub-pool, practice area, and has a seating capacity of 15,000 people at a time.
The Tokyo Aquatic Centre is a permanent venue hosting various swimming, diving, and artistic swimming events during the Summer Olympics and Paralympic games.
The construction process of this architectural masterpiece is the most intriguing aspect. The 7,000-tonne roof of the Tokyo Aquatic center was constructed on the ground and airlifted. Four supporting pillars were used to keep the top in place.
The Tokyo Aquatic Centre’s roof features solar panels and a geothermal equipment system to regulate the temperature of the pool’s water, making it environmentally conscious as it reduces the building’s carbon footprint.
Musashino Forest Sport Plaza
The Musashino Forest Sport Plaza has two buildings – the main arena and a sub arena building. The main arena building is the most extensive playing surface in the city – almost as big as four basketball courts combined.
The sub-arena is half the size of the main arena and will be used to host indoor sports such as martial arts. The seating capacity of the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza is 10,000 people.
The Sports Plaza has a pool; however, it would mainly host badminton and fencing events during the Tokyo Summer Olympics and wheelchair basketball events during the Paralympic Games.
Ariake Arena
Ariake Arena was specifically designed to host events for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. The building has a seating capacity of 15,000 people and will serve as a sport and cultural center post the Olympic games.
Like the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Ariake Arena will host wheelchair basketball events during the Paralympic Games. Ariake Arena was designed to host volleyball matches during the Summer Olympics.
The building has a square – tent-like structure with corners swooping upward and a concave roof. This particular design was chosen to reduce the interior space of the building.
