PyeongChang – Page 3 – Architecture of the Games

June 8, 2018October 24, 2023

PyeongChang 2018; The Legacy of PyeongChang 2018

The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) has published an article about the legacy of the Games.

The Legacy of PyeongChang 2018

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have come to an end, leaving behind a proud and lasting legacy. This momentous event has touched the lives of so many people in different ways, with many unique journeys sure to be told for generations to come.
Here are five ways that the games have made a lasting impression and a positive impact on the Republic of Korea and the world.

#Economic Legacy
The upgrading of vital infrastructure was one of the many direct benefits to the Republic of Korea as a result of hosting the Games.
A fit-for-purpose traffic network is essential for the smooth operation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 2018 it was no different; to help bring athletes, spectators (and a large number of staff) to PyeongChang from all over the world, road and rail networks were upgraded in the host nation.

As a result of this investment, visitors were able to move to Gangwon-do faster and more conveniently than before. The key features of this development were the Second Yeongdong Expressway (opened 10 November, 2016), the Dongseo Expressway (opened 30 June, 2017) and the Gyeonggang Line High-Speed Railway (opened 22 December, 2017). These trunk roads and rail upgrade connected the capital area to the host city.

56.6 kilometres of road were also constructed in 16 sections at major key points in the hosting city. Three cities and counties and 13 districts were also designated as special zones under the Special Act on Support for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The apartments that were used as the Olympic Village and Media Village during the Games have now been completely sold to the local residents. People will move right in to the eight apartment blocks for 600 households in the PyeongChang Olympic Village, nine apartment blocks for 922 households in Gangneung Olympic Village and23 apartment blocks for 2,561 households in Gangneung Media Village as soon as the restoration works are completed.

There are also refinement projects for the surrounding scenery currently taking place. As well as constructing symbolic sculptures for the Olympic Games, flags of all nations were installed around major routes, old facilities have been modified and public restrooms were improved. Amenities have been established to enhance accessibility for people with impairment. This is to turn the city into a tourist city where all tourists can stay comfortably.

The outline for the post-utilisation plan of the Games facilities are now almost in shape. The Games venues will be utilised as public sports facility or serve as training centres for the athletes from home and abroad under the agreement between the city of Gangneung, Korea National Sport University and the Catholic Kwandong University in support of the popularisation of winter sports.

#Environmental Legacy
There was also a notable effort to try make an eco-friendly Olympic and Paralympic Games. First, a new wind generating farm was built in order to provide eco-friendly energy during the Games. Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) supplied 150 electric cars in Gangneung, Jeongseon and PyeongChang. This facilitated the transport of Games management staff back and forth between operational centres and venues.

The new venues in the host city, constructed according to the Green Architecture Support Act, are required to meet the standards of certifications with ratings above level 4. The new venues for PyeongChang 2018 all received the Green Building Certification. Forests that were uprooted due to venue construction were substituted with alternative planting efforts to offset a negative environmental impact. Ultimately, 174 hectares of offset planting will occur in Goseong,
PyeongChang and Taebaek of Gangwon-do province. In particular, a total of 41.8 billion Korean Won will be spent to restore the ecological system around the Jeongseon Alpine Centre.

#Cultural Legacy
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) are to join hands and shell out 93.9 billion Korean Won to build training environments and support outstanding athletes in order to promote winter sports development projects in Korea. The ‘Dream Programme’ that has been held 14 times since 2004 to 2017, played a huge role in introducing unfamiliar winter sports to the youth in Korea.

The Paralympic Winter Games, in particular, has drawn the attention of many into fostering outstanding athletes for the winter para-sports. Through such efforts, Korea was able to recruit excellent coaches from overseas and fund new equipment, hence improving people’s understanding towards people with impairment and the Paralympic Games. No doubt, Korea has gained a foothold to grow into a new winter para-sports powerhouse.
Olympic education programmes have been run across all schools nationwide. This programme, run by the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), was arranged to broaden career choices for the youngsters by providing proper understanding and recognition of the Olympic and Paralympic winter sports.

The ‘Cultural Olympiad’, where festivals were held every day, served as an opportunity to showcase various cultures of Korea to the world. The Cultural ICT Experience Zone, interact with, Live Sites where spectators could watch the competitions through big screens all managed to make PyeongChang 2018 a culture-rich festival.

We cannot leave out the passionate volunteers that helped during the Games. 13,503 volunteers for the Olympic Games and 6,886 volunteers for the Paralympic Games have gathered and they were the great foundation that allowed the successful hosting of the Games. The POCOG, along with the Korean Food Foundation, came up with the ‘The Top Ten Most Favoured Korean Foods Menu Around the World’. The menus received positive reviews that they conveyed the characteristics of Korean food while at the same time applying the newest trend to make Korean food culture more popular.

#Peace Legacy
One of the most memorable issues at PyeongChang 2018 was the participation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Even before the Games started, POCOG, Gangwon-do Provincial Office and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) constantly called for the DPRK to participate in the Games. They were finally able to come to an agreement on the joint parade of the athletes from North and South Korea and the formation of Joint Korean Women’s Ice Hockey team. The Games did not only bring a message of peace from the Korean Peninsula, it was also a milestone in improving the relationship between the two Koreas.
Olympic Truce Murals with autographs of athletes and officials who support the principles of the Olympic Truce were also installed at the Olympic Villages in PyeongChang and Gangneung. These murals will be relocated in the host city after the Games to be preserved as the symbol of the ‘Peace Olympics’ and can be visited by tourists.

#ICT Legacy
The PyeongChang 2018 was the ever-first Games to introduce high-tech ICT technologies, such as providing 5G services during the Games. The most notable utilisation of 5G services was at the broadcasting sites. The movement of the athletes were shot from various angles and then produced as 360 degree footage to help the viewers to best understand the athletes’ performances and judges’ scores.
Applications that provide ‘Augmented Reality (AR)’ and automatic translation services in eight major languages were also available throughout the games. Altogether 85 robots across 11 different models were used to provide spectator guides, assist with clean-ups, as well as being used for the Torch Relay.

Source

June 6, 2018October 24, 2023

PyeongChang 2018; Debrief – Press Release International Paralympic Committee

PyeongChang 2018: Games lessons shared

The Debrief of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games has been held in Beijing, China, to assist future Organising Committees, specifically Beijing, and interested cities to build upon the “New Horizons” opened by PyeongChang 2018.

More than 600 participants attended the Debrief on 4 and 5 June, including representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), National Olympic Committees, International Federations, TOP Partners, broadcasters and athletes. They were all on site to share lessons from PyeongChang, while reinforcing the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020’s New Norm.

“If there is one message that I would like everyone from the future Organising Committees and interested cities to remember, it is that this new approach has partnership and feasibility at its heart,” said IOC President Bach. “Our goal is to make the Olympic Games best fit the long-term needs and goals of the host cities. With Olympic Agenda 2020, we have turned the page and are writing a new chapter in the way future Olympic Games are organised.”

For the first time, the IPC was fully integrated into the Debrief, with an eye towards looking at the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a single event, in order to maximise legacy opportunities.

“Over the last two days, it has been important to celebrate PyeongChang’s success while, together with key stakeholders, taking forward key strategic learnings in many areas for future Organising Committees to benefit from,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said. “In partnership with the IOC and other members of the Olympic and Paralympic families, we want to make each Games edition better, more efficient and more sustainable.”

Throughout the Debrief, the PyeongChang Organising Committee (POCOG) contributed its expertise on how Olympic Agenda 2020 helped it deliver an iconic sporting event that will offer long-lasting benefits to the region, which include a new express highway, a high-speed railway, sold-out Olympic villages, new hotels and venues that will be used for both sporting and cultural activities.

The first host city to fully benefit from Olympic Agenda 2020, Beijing 2022 has incorporated legacy planning from the earliest stages of preparations. Among the 12 competition and non-competition venues in the Beijing zone, 11 are legacy venues from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008.

These include the iconic “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, which will be used for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in 2022. The Water Cube Aquatics Centre will be the wheelchair curling venue. The National Indoor Stadium will host the Para ice hockey competition.

The Beijing 2022 Organising Committee’s headquarters is located at a former steel mill that was closed down in 2008 before the Olympic and Paralympic Games, over concerns of air pollution at the time. This location which will be the venue for the Olympic Big Air competitions in 2022, is an impressive example of urban planning and renewal, as it will also include leisure and sports facilities for both public enjoyment and elite training, as well as a winter sports museum.

Sustainable legacy
Further incorporating Olympic Agenda 2020, Beijing 2022 has made it mandatory to include sustainability in all areas of planning the Games, and will use the Games as a catalyst to improve the health of the population, tackle environmental issues and promote sustainable economic growth in the region.

“We applaud Beijing 2022 for having already begun implementing many principles from Olympic Agenda 2020 via a sound legacy plan,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chair Juan Antonio Samaranch. “As demonstrated at the Debrief, the IOC, together with the wider Olympic family, is committed to supporting all future Organising Committees and Interested Cities in their own long-term development objectives.”

“We are committed to delivering ‘Green, Inclusive, Open and Clean’ Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Cai Qi, President of Beijing 2022. “We will attach even more importance to sustainability, legacy, international cooperation and the reduction of costs, so as to deliver excellent Games that make new contributions to the development of the region. Beijing 2022 will take this meeting as a new starting point, and we will strive to integrate Olympic Agenda 2020 and the New Norm into our preparations.”

To ensure that each stakeholder experience at the Games is enhanced, strategic sessions at the Debrief included topics such as planning and delivering the Games, engaging and communication with spectators, improving the athletes’ experience, and putting fans at the forefront of the Olympic experience.

Source: IPC
Link: PyeongChang 2018: Games lessons shared

June 6, 2018October 24, 2023

PyeongChang 2018; Debrief – Press Release International Olympic Committee

FUTURE HOST CITIES BUILD FROM PYEONGCHANG 2018

THE DEBRIEF OF THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES PYEONGCHANG 2018 WAS HELD ON 4 AND 5 JUNE TO ASSIST FUTURE ORGANISING COMMITTEES, SPECIFICALLY BEIJING, AND INTERESTED CITIES TO BUILD UPON THE “NEW HORIZONS” OPENED BY PYEONGCHANG 2018.

More than 600 participants attended the Debrief, including representatives from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), National Olympic Committees, International Federations, TOP Partners, broadcasters and athletes, who were all on site to share lessons from PyeongChang, while reinforcing the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020’s New Norm.

“If there is one message that I would like everyone from the future Organising Committees and interested cities to remember, it is that this new approach has partnership and feasibility at its heart,” said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Bach. “Our goal is to make the Olympic Games best fit the long-term needs and goals of the host cities. With Olympic Agenda 2020, we have turned the page and are writing a new chapter in the way future Olympic Games are organised.”

Throughout the Debrief, the PyeongChang Organising Committee (POCOG) contributed its expertise on how Olympic Agenda 2020 helped it deliver an iconic sporting event that will offer long-lasting benefits to the region, which include a new express highway, a high-speed railway, sold-out Olympic villages, new hotels and venues that will be used for both sporting and cultural activities.

“PyeongChang underwent an incredible transformation from the time it was awarded the Olympic Winter Games to hosting them,” said the IOC Coordination Commission Chair for PyeongChang 2018, Gunilla Lindberg. “POCOG set the example of how Olympic Agenda 2020 can be implemented throughout an Organising Committee’s lifecycle. On behalf of the entire Olympic Movement, we congratulate PyeongChang 2018 once again on a job very well done.”

“We are pleased to share the many lessons learned from the recent Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said POCOG President Lee Hee-Beom. “This transfer of knowledge is essential to future organisers, and we are confident that this debriefing will serve as a great learning opportunity for Beijing to host even more successful Games in 2022.”

The first host city to fully benefit from Olympic Agenda 2020, Beijing 2022 has incorporated legacy planning from the earliest stages of preparations. Among the 12 competition and non-competition venues in the Beijing zone, 11 are legacy venues from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008.

These include the iconic “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, which will be used for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in 2022. The Water Cube Aquatics Centre will be the curling venue. The National Indoor Stadium and Wukesong Sports Centre will host the ice hockey events, while the Capital Indoor Stadium will host figure skating and short track skating events. At the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, a global audience will see this innovative re-use of existing venues from 2008.

The Beijing 2022 Organising Committee’s headquarters is located at a former steel mill that was closed down in 2008 before the Olympic Games, over concerns of air pollution at the time. This location which will be the venue for the Big Air competitions in 2022, is an impressive example of urban planning and renewal, as it will also include leisure and sports facilities for both public enjoyment and elite training, as well as a winter sports museum.

Further incorporating Olympic Agenda 2020, Beijing 2022 has made it mandatory to include sustainability in all areas of planning the Games, and will use the Games as a catalyst to improve the health of the population, tackle environmental issues and promote sustainable economic growth in the region.

“We applaud Beijing 2022 for having already begun implementing many principles from Olympic Agenda 2020 via a sound legacy plan,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chair Juan Antonio Samaranch. “As demonstrated at the Debrief, the IOC, together with the wider Olympic family, is committed to supporting all future Organising Committees and Interested Cities in their own long-term development objectives.”

“We are committed to delivering ‘Green, Inclusive, Open and Clean’ Olympic Winter Games,” said Cai Qi, President of Beijing 2022. “We will attach even more importance to sustainability, legacy, international cooperation and the reduction of costs, so as to deliver excellent Games that make new contributions to the development of the region. Beijing 2022 will take this meeting as a new starting point, and we will strive to integrate Olympic Agenda 2020 and the New Norm into our preparations.”

To ensure that each Olympic stakeholder experience at the Games is enhanced, strategic sessions at the Debrief included topics such as planning and delivering the Games, engaging and communication with spectators, improving the athletes’ experience, and putting fans at the forefront of the Olympic experience.

For the first time, the IPC was fully integrated into the Debrief, with an eye towards looking at the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a single event, in order to maximise legacy opportunities.

“Over the last two days, it has been important to celebrate PyeongChang’s success while, together with key stakeholders, taking forward key strategic learnings in many areas for future Organising Committees to benefit from,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said. “In partnership with the IOC and other members of the Olympic and Paralympic families, we want to make each Games edition better, more efficient and more sustainable.”

Source: IOC
Link: Future Host Cities build from PyeongChang 2018

June 6, 2018October 24, 2023

PyeongChang 2018; River near the former Olympic Plaza flooded

Transport hub Daegwanryong-myeon. Photo: Martijn Giebels

Last month, the Chaebang River in Daegwanryong-myeon was flooded after heavy rainfall. In Daegwanryong-myeon the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza, Medal Plaza and the Olympic Stadium were situated.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the flooding was caused by facilities built for the Olympics in the riverbed (probably a bus stop for shuttle buses). Because of the blockade, the passage for the river was too narrow, which resulted in the flooding.

About 60 households were affected by the flood. The IOC has pledged $150,000 in aid.

Time-lapse Daegwanryong-myeon 2013/2018