After protests at home and from the architecture community, the Japanese government has completely scrapped Zaha Hadid’s controversial plans for the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Not only was the stadium’s design mocked by many, but the cost was considered far too much. According to Gizmodo, the building was originally estimated to cost $3.1 billion, $2.6 billion more than the main stadium for the 2012 London games. Japan had tried to cut the budget by $1.3 billion, but the price was still considered astronomical for a country that is still struggling to economically.
Therefore on Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government has cancelled plans to build the stadium and a new design will have to be completed quickly. “I have made a decision to take the plan back to square one and reconsider,” Abe said, reports CNN.
According to the Guardian, Abe said that the new stadium can still be ready in five years for the Olympics. London did take five years to build its stadium, so it can be done.
However, the building will not be complete for the 2016 Rugby World Cup. World Rugby said it was “extremely disappointed” by the news, but the tournament will still be played in Japan.
The original Zaha Hadid Architects design was called everything from a giant bike helmet to a white elephant, but the firm said it would be able to host Japanese sporting events for decades.
Japan’s decision also comes as countries begin to rethink expensive sporting events, especially since some blame the 2004 Athens Olympics for having a role in Greece’s current economic turmoil. Back in October, Norway even pulled out of the competition to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, leaving only Kazakhstan and China remaining.
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