Believe it or not, architecture was once an Olympic sport!
Successful business people often possess a genuine curiosity about the world around them. They go beyond their specific industry knowledge and actively seek out information in diverse areas, like history, art, science, or current events.
From 1912 to 1948, the Olympic Games included five creative arts categories, with architecture taking center stage. The first competition kicked off at the 1912 Stockholm Games, with entries tasked with blending art and sport.
Switzerland’s Eugรจne-Edouard Monod and Alphonse Laverriรฉre secured the very first Olympic gold medal in architecture for their town planning project, “Building Plan of a Modern Stadium.” The final gold medal in this unique category went to Austrian architect Adolf Hoch for his design, “Ski Jumping Hill on the Kobenzl,” at the 1948 London Games.
Unfortunately, the high number of professional architects entering the competition clashed with the Olympic spirit of amateurism. This ultimately led to the discontinuation of the entire art competition, including architecture, after the 1948 Games.
This fascinating piece of history highlights the ever-evolving nature of architecture. As the article above discusses, staying adaptable and innovative is crucial for architectural firms to thrive in today’s rapidly changing landscape.
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When Architecture was an Olympic Sport
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