Yoyogi National Gymnasium - A Kenzo Tange Design

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Wow! What a gorgeous looking facility . I'm afraid Vancouver's venue for the Olympics looks like a very poor relation by comparison. Still, as long as the ice expansion goes according to plan ( it should be a no-brainer for good ice quality ) it should all work out well for the skaters.

Wow, what an elegant space.

I believe also, that the Yoyogi Gymnasium was refurbished recently. Tange architecture is truly stunning.

The Pacific Coliseum is your standard North American ice hockey arena, a bit shabby, and there is nothing about it architecturally that is distinguishing. Having been there for Four Continents, I hated that there was nothing separating the main concourse from the seating. Noise from the concession booths filtered into the arena, which I found very distracting during performances.

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One day I'm going to go to something in Yoyogi just to see the architecture (I'm an architect by training). It's one of the all time classics (Tange was one of the most brilliant architects Japan has ever had), and after nearly 50 years--it was built in the early 1960's--it still compares favorably to more modern designs. Yum!

That is beautiful. It reminds me of "the birds nest" in beijing. Wow, it just be awesome to skate in there.

All you guys will be disappointed a big time when you see this facility.
I guess it was a cool & modern looking in '60s,
but unfortunately now it is just a huge, ugly and dirty concrete mountain
just like many other modern designed buildings from '60s.
Also the fact Japanese usually do not paint old buildings
does not help this case either.:sheesh:
And the ugliness does not limit the outside,
actually the inside is quite horrible as well.
Because of the modern design concept of that time,
it has many bare grey concrete sufaces,
and now they are just so ugly & dirty.
It really looks like an inside of a 50 years old gigantic concrete cave.
When you watch this TV coverage,
you notice many areas are covered with huge black and blue clothes.
Without them, it is just unbearable to look at.

Despite of the facts that Tokyo is an enormous city
and Japan is the second largest economy in the world,
Tokyo does not have any decent inside sports facility
with a large seating capacity
because their most popular sports is baseball,
and ice hockey & basketball are very minor sports there.
The last time Tokyo had the world, it was a different venue,
some reporter described that facility "a pit",
and it was accurate.:scowl:

Thanks God, the next one will be held in Nagano
where they still have a 10 years old Olympic facility.

To me, the best arena is the Staples Center (except for those strict security guys in purple)