UK consulting engineer Arup has been appointed lead adviser to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Organising Committee for the 2020 Olympic Games.Â
Working jointly with US engineer Aecom, Arup will oversee the design briefs for the main venues, review the masterplan and advise on areas such as transport, security, sustainability and legacy.
The centrepiece of the Olympic park will be a £1bn, 80,000-seat stadium designed by Zaha Hadid. The building will feature a retractable roof shaped like a giant bicycle helmet and is intended to replace the existing Kasumigaoka National Stadium.Â
Japan is also expected to invest $4.5bn in a further 10 new-build venues.
Jerome Frost, the Arup director who was head of design and regeneration for the London 2012 Games, said: “Arup is proud to have played a part in renewing Beijing 2008 and London in advance of the Olympics and is looking forward to continuing our contribution to the 2020 Tokyo Games.”
He added: “Arup has been responsible for much of the urban renewal of the host cities, ensuring the events serve as a catalyst for long-term investment and development.”
Arup has about 60 staff in its Japanese office. In the past it has worked on the structural and facade engineering of a number of landmark buildings in Japan, including the 20-storey Sony City in Osaki, Tokyo – which Sony sold last year for $1.2bn – as well as being the structural engineer behind the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, winner of the award for 2008 Skyscraper of the Year.
The win for Arup follows the signing of a co-operation agreement between the UK and Japan, signed in May at London’s Olympic Park.
