Defining themselves as a global design practice specializing in creating environments that draw people and communities together for unforgettable experiences, Populous, (formerly sports part of HOK), has annonced that they been selected to design the main stadium for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Being responsible for the main Stadium and venues overlay for the London 2012 Games, Populous architects convey the pride for being chosen to design for Sochi, evaluating it as ”the continuation of the practice’s unrivalled experience in Olympic event planning and venue design.”

2008 olympics marked the era of energy efficient and environmentally friendly design for stadiums like the Bird’s Nest and the Watercube. With Populous new design, the trends seems to continue. 

Looking like a giant bug with playful wings, the structure has a very unique exterior of translucent crystalline skin, vividly representing the “color and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night” The advanced material technology, lightweight structures, as well as natural ventilation and lighting are among the eco-features of the stadium. The stadium can seat up to 40.000 people.

John Barrow, Populous senior principal is quoted in their official web site: “Its sweeping form responds to both its coastal location and mountainous backdrop, whilst its crystalline skin engages with its surroundings by day, and provides an iconic representation of the color and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night.”

The respresentations do promise a lot. How the design and the landscape will interact in real life, we have to wait to see.

via Inhabitat