Bartels Design Contest

At the end of 2009 Bartels organized a contest for her own employees, which was named the Bartels Design Contest 2010. The assignment was to design a floating Olympic village for 10,000 inhabitants. Part of the assignment was to also design a floating Olympic Stadium. The stadium should accommodate 60,000 people, expandable to a capacity of 90,000. 

 

Why organize this contest?

It is a fact that Holland keeps getting fuller. Especially in the western part of Holland, the urban areas are growing closer to each other. For a while now people are speculating to start building on water. Because water is an important part of Holland (and of the Dutch history) and there is more than enough space on the water, we decided to let our people design a real city that floats on the water. 

 

But there is another reason. In 2028, it's exactly 100 years after the Olympics were first (and last) held in Holland. Several initiatives already exist to get the Olympics to Holland again in 2028.  In this context we wanted to let our contest support this mission. A floating Olympic village with a floating stadium would be unique in the history of the Olympics. Also, this village has a flexible character, which makes it possible to use the village again after the Olympics. 

 

The winning design (see picture above and movie below) was a floating village in the shape of the five Olympic rings, with a floating stadium that is shaped as the Olympic flame. Around the rings there are apartments shaped as a laurel wreath.