Abstract:
Throughout the past two decades, sporting and cultural events have proven to be significant catalysts in the acceleration of urban development and renewal of metropolitan cities, creating the phenomenon of event cities. Many works of modern architecture have been built solely for one-time events, often failing to take into account the end-use of these facilities and thus rendering these extraordinary structures derelict and empty after the conclusion of the events, their legacy forgotten. This raises serious questions in terms of sustainability and the construction of these imposing structures due to their disastrous impact on the local context, as they become spectacular void structures implanted in the modern landscape. The term event cities, which refers to the everyday conditions embedded within architecture, has become synonymous with urban metropolises that have become obsessed with hosting these one-time events, with some cities in China in this state. In the Chinese city of Guangzhou, Haixinsha Island, situated in the Pearl Delta River (PDR), has an imposing arena, that was constructed exclusively for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 16th Asian Games. It is a victim of these one-time event architecture phenomena; it has become a gimmick—a tourist attraction spot with limited public access. Recently, plans have come to light revealing a proposal for a single commercial building on the site to activate the whole island. This thesis aims to challenge the idea of these one-time event structures, using research and investigation of existing and past interventions to answer the critical question: how can architectural design reinvigorate these barren sites while preserving their legacy? The thesis uses Haixinsha Island as the testing ground to redefine post-event architectures in terms of long-term usage.