Zaha Hadid joins forces with Nikken Sekkei in bid to win back Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium contract
by Kate Parker | 10 Sep 2015
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is working with Japanese architecture and engineering firm Nikken Sekkei to submit a fresh bid for the Tokyo Olympic stadium project after their first design was dropped in July.
A new design-and-build competition for the stadium, which is set to host events during the 2020 Olympic games, was launched on 1 September 2015, with a much shorter design and construction schedule.
Revised guidelines will cap the cost at ¥155bn (US$1.3bn, €1.2bn, £850m) representing a significant reduction compared to the ¥250bn (US$2bn, €1.8bn, £1.37bn) estimate for Hadid's initial proposal, which was unceremoniously scrapped by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe amid soaring construction costs and growing criticism.
The number of seats has been cut back from 72,000 to 68,000, with the option of an additional 12,000 to be added later in the event that Japan wishes to bid to host the football World Cup.
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Tokyo-based Nikken Sekkei has worked on the original design since May 2013, leading a team of structural engineering firms and acting as design supervisor alongside Hadid's practice. Nikken Sekkei claims its involvement in the development of the original project together with its knowledge of the site would help deliver the best alternative.
“We believe the best way to respond to the new brief is to maximise the use of the expertise and experience gained by the design team over the past two years,” the firm stated.
Commenting on the revised proposal, ZHA added: “Our team in Japan and the UK have worked closely with Nikken Sekkei to develop a design for the New National Stadium for Japan that meets the government's core principles and it is an honour to be invited by Nikken Sekkei to progress the design together to the revised technical brief.”
ZHA is scaling back on its original designs to meet the revised budget Credit: ZHA
The stadium was initially due to play host to matches in the 2019 Rugby World Cup which will be held in Japan Credit: ZHA
The national stadium designs have seen opposition from many Japanese architects, including Fumihiko Maki, Toyo Ito and Sou Fujimoto
Credit: ZHA
26 Aug 2015
Zaha Hadid fights to get Tokyo Olympic stadium design reinstated
17 Jul 2015
Zaha Hadid says design costs not to blame as Japan drops Olympic Stadium plans
08 Jul 2015
Zaha Hadid’s Tokyo Olympic stadium wins final approval
03 Jun 2014
Tokyo's US$1.58bn Olympic stadium gets the go ahead
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is working with Japanese architecture and engineering firm Nikken Sekkei to submit a fresh bid for the Tokyo Olympic stadium project after their first design was dropped in July. A new design-and-build competition for the stadium, which is set to host events during the 2020 Olympic games, was launched on 1 September 2015, with a much shorter design and construction schedule. Revised guidelines will cap the
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