MAPPING CONTROVERSIES
This is a controversy case study that forms part of the MACOSPOL project, and which seeks to show how contemporary digital design techniques can be harnessed to visualise controversy studies.
INTRODUCTION
In 2012, London will be the centre of world attention as it hosts the 30th Summer Olympic Games. As the date draws closer, more attention will be drawn to what is typically the architectural showcase of the Games, the athletics stadium. This case study focusses on the design and legacy considerations that are shaping the construction of the Olympic Stadium.
The decision process has been infused with functionality, economics, sustainability, and urban development concerns, leading to a fully traceable and public debate. The final HOK Sport design is primarily fixed upon sustainability and functionality. Chief architect Rob Sheard: "This is not a stadium that's going to be screaming from the rooftops that it's bigger and more spectacular [....] This is a cleverer solution."
Design is intertwined with legacy and functionality. Sustainability with aesthetics and iconic status. Analysing this case as a controversy provides some compelling conclusions for the future of high-profile national and international venues.
