5 Most Stunning Arenas In The History Of Olympics

While Rio de Janeiro hosts this year's Summer Olympic Games, one is forced to acknowledge how the Games transform the host cities. Keeping that in focus, PropGuide lists five most celebrated and remarkable structures constructed in the history of Olympics Games:

Basketball Arena, London

(Wikimedia)

Located at Olympic Park North, the Basketball Arena was designed by architecture company Wilkinson Eyre Architects. Spread across 11,500 sq mts, the arena is one of the biggest temporary venues constructed for the Olympics and Paralympics. With a seating capacity of 10,000-12,000 spectators, this arena was known to be the most dramatic and visually appealing among all other venues in Olympic Park.

It was a 30m‐high structure which was made using steel portal frame. The frame was then wrapped in 20,000 sqm of lightweight phthalate‐free and recyclable PVC which was then given a three-dimensional look after certain steel framing modules were pushed out.

The structure was created with a brief that involved a simple yet appealing sporting venue that was sustainable, too. Keeping the brief in mind, the arena was constructed using robust individual components which could be easily dismantled and reused. Nearly two-thirds of the material used on the project were identified for reuse or for recycle.

Beijing National Stadium

(Dreamstime)

This stadium which staged the Beijing Olympics 2008 is also popularly known as the Bird's Nest owing to its shape and design. It was designed by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and the China Architecture Design and Research Group and was constructed at a cost of £300 million. It is known as the largest steel structure covered with 26 km of unwrapped steel and also, world's largest enclosed space.

The design of this stadium was created to bring together modernity along with the traditional Chinese culture. This was achieved by adding steel which brought the modern touch while its circular shape gave it look of a Chinese-style crazed pottery.

Designed to withstand an earthquake of a magnitude of eight, the stadium has underground pipes of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) system. This system collects energy from the soil and helps in keeping the stadium warm during winters and cool during summers.

Beijing National Aquatics Center

(Dreamstime)

This arena is also known as the Water Cube, given its façade of blue bubble walls which when lit give this structure a look of a huge water cube. This landmark building in the history of Olympics was designed by a design consortium consisting of China State Construction Engineering Corporation, China State Construction International (Shenzhen) Design Co, PTW Architects (Australia) and Ove Arup (Australia).

The arena, which was built at a cost of $100 million, has five swimming pools, along with a wave machine and a restaurant. It has a seating capacity of 17,000 spectators.

London Aquatics Centre

(Dreamstime)

Designed by celebrated Architect Zaha Hadid, the structure is inspired by fluid geometries of water in motion. The structure reflects the surrounding environment of the riverside landscapes of the Olympic Park. The roof of the arena runs from the floor like a wave enclosing the pool within. This shape defines the fluidity of the architecture.

The arena had a seating capacity of 17,500 spectators when it was constructed for the London 2012 Olympics, but the extended wings with the huge capacity were removed after the games. Now the arena has a capacity of 2,000 spectators.

The structure consists of three pools — competition pool, diving pool and training pool. While the competition and diving pool are in the main hall, the training pool is located beneath the Stratford City Bridge.

Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Rio

(Rio 2016)

The arena, hosting the ongoing Olympics games in Rio, is designed keeping sustainability in mind. The structure has been constructed using nomadic architecture technique which would allow it to be taken down and converted into two smaller aquatic centres after the Games are over. The arena will hosts games including swimming and water polo.

The most striking feature of this centre is its exterior which celebrates the work Celacanto Provoca Maremoto by Brazilian artist Adriana Varejão. This art was created using 66 panels of height 27 metres each.

With a seating capacity of about 15,000 spectators, the structure has a natural ventilation system that ensures cooling effect inside the stadium without using much energy. This has been achieved by drilling 15,000 tiny holes strategically that would ensure airflow. It has two pools one each for the competition and for training. Each pool has a filtration system that will reduce the chemicals in the water by 25 per cent.