The Olympics will get underway this coming Friday, and the new stadium is more than ready… to be mostly empty, devoid of just about all visitors.  It’ll be a surreal thing to watch, for sure. But let’s take a moment to check out the stadium itself, and it’s kinda nice, using lots of wood and taking inspiration from the vernacular overhangs to create a series of verandas that also boast edge gardens.  It seems inviting enough.

Doubly nicely, these verandahs and the roof (whose opening is deliberately asymmetrical to enhance this effect) have been designed to funnel natural ventilation through the structure and reduce the AC loads.  So that’s cool too (pun semi-intended).

Stadiums tend to be stadiums, but this one does some work to help keep it from being nothing but an imposing oval.  Time will tell if this one will find enough life post-olympics to become part of the city’s fabric.

The Japan National Stadium by Taisei Corporation + AZUSA SEKKEI + Kengo Kuma & Associates