The Architecture of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

By Garret Murai, July 27, 2021

Like many, you may be watching the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. If you have, it’s one of the most unusual Olympics ever. From the “2020” name, to run up of COVID-19 cases going into the Olympics (127 reported cases as of Saturday), to the strangely empty seats at the various venues. One thing that isn’t unusual, however, is its whopping costs. When Japan won the bid for the 2020 Olympics in 2013 it forecasted that it would spend $7.3 billion on the Games. Now that the Games are finally here, some estimate that it could be the most expensive Olympic Games in history at a whopping $28 billion.

As with most Olympics, the biggest single cost of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been the construction of the venues at a total cost of $3 billion. A total of 43 venues will be used during the Summer Olympics including 25 existing facilities, 10 temporary venues and eight new permanent venues. Here’s a look at the eight new permanent venues:

Musashino Forest Sports Plaza

Architect: Nihon Sekkei, Inc.

Year Completed: 2017

Capacity: 7,200

Events: Badminton, Modern Pentathlon, Wheelchair Basketball

Yumenoshima Park Archery Field

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 5,600

Events: Archery

Sea Forest Waterway

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 12,800

Events: Canoe, Rowing

Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 7,500

Events: Canoe Slalom

Oi Hockey Stadium

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 15,000

Events: Hockey

Olympic Stadium Japan

Architect: Kengo Kuma

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 68,000

Events: Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Athletics, Soccer

Ariaki Arena

Architect: Kume Sekkei

Year Completed: 2019

Capacity: 15,000

Events: Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball

Tokyo Aquatics Centre

Architect: Yanashita Sekkei and Tange Associates

Year Completed: 2020

Capacity: 15,000

Events: Aquatics