The Japanese architect who won the competition to design the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium admitted that "there are some similarities to an earlier blueprint for the project by Dame Zaha Hadid, but denies appropriating her work," according to Julian Ryall of the London TELEGRAPH. Internationally renowned architect Kengo Kuma said on Friday that there were "certain similarities" in the two proposals but insisted that the "concept is completely different" and "the designs are completely different." Kuma's claims "come just days after London-based Zaha Hadid Architects rejected a demand from the Japan Sports Council that the company give up the copyright to work completed before the original plan was scrapped in July last year and agree to what amounts to a gagging order."
The JSC "is allegedly withholding a final payment to the company until a revised contract with the additional clauses is signed" (TELEGRAPH, 1/16). In Tokyo, Shusuke Murai wrote Kuma, whose flatter, less expensive design will be used for the games’ main venue, said that "his plan and Hadid’s differed significantly in concept and cost."
He said, "I believe if you take a look at Zaha Hadid’s design and mine, you can see very different impressions of the building."
Kuma said that "it was inevitable that there was convergence in design when trying to give all 80,000 spectators a clear view of the action and also observing Tokyo fire regulations."
Kuma "pointed out a range of differences." He compared Hadid’s to a "saddle" with the sides rising, whereas he "tried to make the stadium as low and flat as possible to minimize construction costs and make the building blend with its surroundings" (JAPAN TIMES, 1/15). REUTERS' Kiyoshi Takenaka wrote Kuma said that "engineers are now looking into whether construction can be completed in time to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup final."
The new National Stadium "was supposed to stage the opening ceremony and final of the rugby tournament, but the scrapping of the original design last year meant the venue was switched to Yokohama Stadium," which hosted the 2002 football World Cup final.
Asked if he received a request that the construction period be reduced so it could host at least the final game of the World Cup, Kuma said, "Yes, but only informally. ... Specialists are taking a look at it for a responsible answer" (REUTERS, 1/15). The AP's Elaine Kurtenbach wrote Kuma said that "he could not comment on those discussions."
He said that he did not think that the JSC "had decided against working with Hadid because she was a foreigner, though working in Japan as a non-Japanese might be challenging." Kuma:
"I don't know, as I've never worked as a foreigner here. But from my personal point of view, communicating and holding meetings might be difficult. Japan needs to work harder to really open its doors to make it a more welcoming environment for people from other countries to work in" (AP, 1/15). BLOOMBERG's Isabel Reynolds wrote Kuma, who is known for a love of traditional Japanese architecture, "incorporated wooden elements, broad eaves and ample greenery in his design." At 49.2 meters, the new stadium "will be about 20 meters lower than the scrapped design." Cost "was the most important factor in drawing up the new design, Kuma told reporters, saying he had been careful to make sure standard timber sizes and prefabricated elements could be used." His three-tiered stadium is estimated to cost 149B yen ($1.2B) "and to be completed by November 2019" (BLOOMBERG, 1/15).
