[1772]

Why do some Olympics have villas for the participants while others have apartments?

Perhaps apartments are more common nowadays since there are so many participants?
Although I read somewhere that Rio will be villas. And Sydney had villas to if I'm not mistaken.

Anyone know?

 

[1772]

None?

 

[Welkin]

Why do some Olympics have villas for the participants while others have apartments?

Perhaps apartments are more common nowadays since there are so many participants?
Although I read somewhere that Rio will be villas. And Sydney had villas to if I'm not mistaken.

Anyone know?

I would imagine it has everything to do with the host city's after Olympic Legacy plans and less to to with housing athletes. You can house athletes in just about any formation (apartments, villas, hotels, ocean liners....) but to justify the cost of hosting an Olympics, many cities use the Olympic Games as part of a larger urban redevelopment. Vancouver turned their Olympic Athletes Village into downtown, high rise condos. Atlanta turned their Olympic Athlete Village apartments into student housing for Georgia Tech University. There is probably no hard, fast rule. Maybe villas fit better in to Rio's legacy master plan for the Olympic site after the Olympics.

 

[RobH]

A little out of date but a huge document here on the IOC Village requirements:

http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/files/Technical_Manual_on_Olympic_Village.pdf

See the Chapter starting on Page 60 to see diagrams of past Olympic villages, diagrams of ideal layouts, space requirements for facilities within the village.

This might give you an idea as to why things are done as they are.

Really, as long as the organising committee meets the IOC's requirements there's no limitation on the style of accommodation, but as you can see there are a lot of requirements and it's arguable that

a) It's easier to secure a series of mid/high-rise blocks than a sprawling suburb of low-rises
b) It's cheaper to build accommodation for 16k when you build in blocks.

Another point, which I know is true for London and must be for all host cities, is that athletes musn't have kitchens within their accommodation. Instead a large temporary dining facility is built with all food cooked and served on site. In London's case, after the Games many of the bedrooms will be refitted into kitchens. So whilst London has built enough bed-space for 16k athletes, what we'll have post-Games is infact 3000 new homes.

http://www.london2012.com/media-cen...ns-bedding-in-at-olympic-village-6-month.html

Hope this is of some help.

 

[1772]

Thanks!

 

[Knitemplar]

Why villas for some? Because some athletes are special and others aren't!!

Just kidding. It's exactly as RobH pointed out. Better those villas and dorms than a minimum security prison which the Lake Placid 1980 Village became. So, be careful of what you wish for, 1772!!