London Olympic Buildings Designed to Disappear Afterward
Whatever legacy the Olympic Games leave with London, at least
they won't leave a lot of huge, useless buildings behind.
London's Olympic buildings are designed to be dismantled after
everyone has gone home, the Wall Street Journal reports. The
aftermath of the Olympics can be mixed for cities. Preparing to
host the Games can leave cities with important lasting
infrastructure. Barcelona built much-needed housing and public
transportation for the 1992 games. Other cities end up saddled
with debt and enormous, useless buildings. Athens is an example:
The Greek city has abandoned 21 of the 22 buildings it
constructed especially for the Games in 2004, the U.K.'s
Independent reported in 2008. London officials wanted to be sure
to avoid Athens' fate. As a result, they've commissioned many
buildings that will undergo clever conversions or disappearances
after the Games are over. London's Olympic Stadium now has seats
for 80,000 people, but after the Games, abou