Mega-Events, as the Olympic Games, are generators of urban change and associated with positive impact for the hosting city at first sight. At the same time real-life examples demonstrate that these hallmark events leave a physical imprint and commonly a challenging long lasting legacy to deal with.
The project "Mega-Events in the complex city" identifies the challenges that need to be considered, when making changes in the built environment while hosting a Mega-Event. The aim is to provide recommendations for further hosting cities in order to minimize the negative consequences a Mega-Event may entail.
The project takes its starting point in examining the impact that a Mega-Event has on the city. The city as a complex system already bears a number of existing conflicts. Placing a Mega-Event into this complex system creates additional challenges with contradicting issues between short term vs. long term planning, large-scaled demands vs. local needs, old vs. new built environment as well as expectations vs. reality.
Those challenges are approached in the case study of Athens Olympics 2004 to examine the burdens a city has to face after hosting a Mega-Event. Further, best practice examples of the four cities London, Barcelona, Vancouver and Los Angeles, who already hosted the Olympics in the past are presented in order to show an alternative way of dealing with the occurring challenges.
Through investigating positive and negative past cases of Olympics, recommendations for further hosting cities are developed.
The recommendations comprise that Mega-Events should be used as driving force for the overall cities strategy and evince long term planning. Thus, urban renewal can be affected positively and the after use of related large scale facilities can be ensured, which reduces the financial burden for the hosting city. Furthermore, the social shadow a Mega-Event may entail can be countered by integrating the needs of the local community. Considering these recommendations should help to lead to a positive reputation of the Mega-Event and enables the cities to fulfil their hopes and expectations related to the Mega-Event.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Research Question
- Report Structure
- Methodology
- Research Design
- Research Methods
- Theory
- Complexity
- Hosting Mega-Events in Complex Systems
- Challenges in Mega-Events
- Short Term vs Long Term
- Large Scaled Demands vs Local Needs
- Old vs New Built Environment
- Expectations vs Reality
- Case Study
- Case Selection
- Case Description
- Planning
- Implementation
- Legacy
- Case Analysis
- Evaluation Of The 2004 Games
- Athens' Negative Consequences In Context With Challenges
- Alternative Approaches
- Short vs Long Term
- Large Scaled vs Local Needs
- Old vs New Built Environment
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This report examines the impact of Mega-Events, such as the Olympic Games, on the hosting city, particularly focusing on the challenges associated with urban change. The aim is to provide recommendations for future host cities to minimize negative consequences and ensure a positive legacy. The report analyzes the case study of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, highlighting the complexities and challenges faced by the city.
- The impact of Mega-Events on the complex urban environment
- The challenges of balancing short-term planning needs with long-term urban development
- The tension between large-scale event demands and local community needs
- The complexities of integrating new infrastructure with existing urban fabric
- The importance of managing expectations and ensuring a sustainable legacy
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The report begins by outlining the research question and the structure of the report. The methodology chapter explains the research design and methods used, including the case study approach and the selection of Athens as the primary case. The theory chapter delves into the concept of complexity and its application to Mega-Events, exploring the inherent challenges of hosting such events within complex urban systems. This section also examines specific challenges related to short-term vs. long-term planning, large-scale demands vs. local needs, old vs. new built environment, and expectations vs. reality.
The case study chapter focuses on the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, providing a detailed description of the planning, implementation, and legacy of the event. It analyzes the successes and failures of the Games and examines the negative consequences faced by Athens in the context of the previously discussed challenges. The final chapter explores alternative approaches adopted by other host cities, such as London, Barcelona, Vancouver, and Los Angeles, to address the challenges identified in the case study.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary focus of this report is on the impact of Mega-Events on urban environments, specifically addressing the challenges and complexities associated with hosting such events. Key themes include urban planning, mega-events, complex systems, legacy, sustainability, and the challenges of balancing short-term and long-term needs. The report draws upon the case study of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens to explore these themes and provide recommendations for future host cities.
- Citation du texte
- DI Manuela Stögerer (Auteur), Lisa Faulenbach (Auteur), Egle Rasimaviciute (Auteur), Bartek Matuszewski (Auteur), Anna Schröder (Auteur), Dennis Ngo (Auteur), 2014, Mega Events in the Complex City. A Case Study of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/302995
