Montreal Stade Olympique Souvenir
November 28th, 2007
Design:
Manufacturer:
Date: 1976
Roger Taillibert designed the Olympic Stadium for the 1976 Summer Olympics and with features like a kevlar retractable roof and the tallest inclined tower structure in the world (175 meters), it was an instant smash hit. Although it has faced significant trouble recently (Expo MLB Team sold, a roof collapse in 1996 and financial hiccups) the building should still be considered significant.
This keepsake celebrates the symbolic significance of architecture and its relationship as the main host to the event. In the landscape of contemporary Disneyfied Olympic merchandise, it is great to see a designed object be the souvenir.
-Todd Falkowsky
Entry Filed under: Olympics and Games,Souvenirs
4 Comments Add your own
1. gdurrell | November 29th, 2007 at 10:59
Possibly one of if not the worst pieces of Canadian design? Original estimated budget was $264 million but rose to $770 million and by 2006 when factoring in repairs over the years, the total cost rested at $1.47 billion. Then factor in that it took the city 30 years to pay off and that the entire place is falling apart. Now to implode the building is going to take 7 years due to its complex concrete structure with an estimated cost of $500 million.
wow.
2. gdurrell | November 29th, 2007 at 11:00
so when its all said and done, that building will have costed the city of Montreal $2 billion. worth it? I don’t think so.
3. ashish | December 3rd, 2007 at 10:59
looks like the klingons broke the USS Enterprise
4. Marc | January 14th, 2010 at 10:45
Cost overruns and financial mis-management don’t make it a bad design. This is quite and incredible-looking building in person and the design concept/aesthetic has gotten better looking as time has passed. Stand at the corner of St Laurent Blvd and Mount Royal in early evening and the stadium rises from its low-rise urban surroundings like spaceship of epic proportions. It is VERY cool.
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