Olympic Stadia provides a comprehensive account of the development of stadia including but not limited to: developments in running tracks, the introduction of lighting, improvements in spectator viewing standards and the introduction of roofs.
Written by a world-renowned expert on sports architecture, the book:
- Systematically analyses every stadium from Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020
- Provides drawings, plans, elevations, photographs and illustrations in full colour
- Considers the fundamental changes wrought by the incorporation of the Paralympic Games
- Looks at the impact on host cities and their urban infrastructure, and considers the long-term legacies and massive investments that Olympic stadia require
- Explores the effects of the demands of the world’s TV broadcasters.
An invaluable and beautiful resource for practical insight and inspiration, this book makes essential reading for anyone interested in Olympic stadia.
Dedications Acknowledgements Foreword by Lord Coe Introduction 1. In the beginning 2. First stirrings 3. Pierre de Coubertin and the birth of the modern Games 4. Sir Ludwig Guttman and the birth of the Paralympic Games 5. Athens 1896 6. Paris 1900 7. St Louis 1904 8. London 1908 9. Stockholm 1912 10. Antwerp 1920 11. Paris 1924 12. Amsterdam 1928 13. Los Angeles 1932 14. Berlin 1936 15. London 1948 16. Helsinki 1952 17. Melbourne 1956 18. Rome 1960 19. Tokyo 1964 20. Mexico City 1968 21. Munich 1972 22. Montreal 1976 23. Moscow 1980 24. Los Angeles 1984 25. Seoul 1988 26. Barcelona 1992 27. Atlanta 1996 28. Sydney 2000 29. Athens 2004 30. Beijing 2008 31. London 2012 32. Rio de Janiero 2016 33. Tokyo 2020 34. The Olympic Stadium of the future Appendix A – Sochi Winter Games 2014 Appendix B – Intercalated Games Index
Biography
Geraint John, Dip. Arch. (UCL), RIBA, Companion CIMPSA, FRSA, has a deep involvement in buildings for sport and leisure. His previous experience as the chief architect and head of the Technical Unit for Sport at the GB Sports Council has made him an expert in the particular field of sports facilities. He is a joint author of Stadia: The Populous Design and Development Guide, now in its fifth edition, and has curated exhibitions at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
In 2014, the International Olympic Committee awarded Geraint the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for outstanding services to the Olympic movement. He is the only British subject to be so honoured.
He is a senior advisor to Populous, a global architecture and design firm.
Geraint is a Visiting Professor at the University of Hertfordshire. He sat on the Environment Committee of the London bid for the 2012 Olympics and on the government`s Global Sports Projects Sector Advisory Group.
He is Honorary Life President of the International Union of Architects’ Sports and Leisure Group, and an inaugural member of the International Association of Sports Facilities Hall of Fame.
Dave Parker B.Sc., CEng., FICE, was technical editor of New Civil Engineer magazine for 14 years before leaving in May 2006 to become a freelance author and journalist. New Civil Engineer is published by Emap under licence from the Institution of Civil Engineers, and goes monthly to all members of the ICE.
Prior to becoming a journalist 30 years ago, Dave was a practising civil engineer for more than 25 years. He worked in both design and contracting, was senior partner of a small forensic engineering practice, and technical marketing director of a specialist products company.
Dave is also a former Visiting Professor of Civil Engineering at the Queen’s University of Belfast, a position he held for ten years.
In 2014 Dave was asked to return to New Civil Engineer as technical editor emeritus.
"Whether in your hands, or on your bookshelf, Olympic Stadia is a handsome volume."
Robert K. Barney, excerpt from the Journal of Olympic History, Volume 28, Number 1 (2020)
"The book considers the social, political, and economic contexts of the stadia as well as their longer term legacies, with the importance of "legacy" indissolubly linked to cities that host the Games."
Paul V. Dudman, UEL Archivist
