Since the inception of the modern Olympics, there have been 49 winter and summer games held in 41 different cities around the globe. Some were great successes. Others, not so much.
Researchers have known for years that cities that host large sporting events like the Olympics generally spend more money and make less than anticipated. And investing in an Olympic Games won't necessarily lead to long-term economic growth or improved infrastructure.
Photographers and artists Jon Pack and Gary Hustwit set out to document what exactly happens when the games are over, and discovered varying answers.
Pack and Hustwit explored and photographed relics and remains of once-new Olympic features in 13 cities. Their photos, collected in a new book entitled "The Olympic City," show the varied remnants of Olympic Games gone by.
"We're interested in the idea of government-approved spending — and these are huge amounts of money — to build massive structures, some of it temporary, all to host an event that will only last a couple of weeks ... Are [the people] benefiting from having been a part of the Olympics? Are the games a point of pride or regret?" Pack explains.
Some places faired well, standing the test of time by adapting to new roles. Other structures fell to shambles after years of disuse. Both aspects, rebirth from ingenuity and death from poor planning, are documented in the series, which acts as a interesting behind-the-scenes look at the games we know and love.
Many pieces of architecture originally created for an Olympic event have been gracefully integrated into the landscape. Here, the Montjuïc Communications Tower still stands in Olympic Park in Barcelona. Created for the 1992 Summer Games, the structure was built to beam TV coverage out to the world and was meant to look like an arm holding an Olympic torch. Today, it continues to send out TV signals and remains a striking part of the city skyline.
Other structures were repurposed. These eighteen 16-story buildings were created to house athletes at the the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, though only a few of them were used, due to the US-led boycott of the games. They have since been made into permanent apartments for state employees.
Similarly, the Olympic Village from the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics was also converted into full time residences, though they have recently fallen into slight disrepair.
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