Architect Zaha Hadid Alleges Collusion In Olympic Stadium Debacle, Slams Treatment

Architect Zaha Hadid, whose design for the new National Stadium was scrapped over "sky-high" costs, "has lashed out at a replacement chosen Tuesday," according to KYODO. She "alleged collusion by authorities and Japanese architects to kill off her project." A blueprint by rival Kengo Kuma "was picked after a storm" over the 265B yen cost of Hadid’s futuristic design, which would have been the world’s most expensive sports venue. Hadid said, "Sadly the Japanese authorities, with the support of some of those from our own profession in Japan, have colluded to close the doors on the project to the world. This shocking treatment ... was not about design or budget. In fact much of our two years of detailed design work and the cost savings we recommended have been validated by the remarkable similarities of our original detailed stadium layout and our seating bowl configuration with those of the design announced today" (KYODO, 12/23).