What is it about?
The relation between stadiums and their urban environment suffered a significant evolution over time. While initially dialoguing with their built and natural environment, stadiums were progressively isolated either through their architecture (arena-like configurations) or through their location in remote areas. This process can be observed in the series of 28 Olympic stadiums studied in this article.
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Why is it important?
Quite ironically, Olympic stadiums are not always listed as heritage, either at a national or international level, even through they played a crucial role in the history of sports and appear in many cases as "places of memory". Our article suggests that the set of Olympic stadiums should be considered as an heritage network of international relevance.
Perspectives
Stadiums play an important role in a city's identity. Though they did not receive the same scientific attention as train stations, airports or large public facilities. This is especially the case in the literature related to heritage. I hope this article may contribute to stimulate more researches on the role of stadiums in the city environment.
Dr Jacques Teller
University of Liege
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Olympic stadiums in their urban environment: a question of design and cultural significance, Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, October 2012, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/20441261211273626.
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