Mayor’s chief architectural advisor turns to Spain for Olympic inspiration.
Richard Rogers has described Barcelona as “probably the best Olympic host city”, and called for London to look to the Spanish city to see how hosting the Games can be a catalyst for improving the life of the city and the nation.
Writing in today’s Guardian, Lord Rogers said that Barcelona is now “the most confident city in the western world in terms of urban regeneration.” As chief adviser to the Ken Livingstone on architecture and urbanism and an adviser to the mayor of Barcelona's urban strategies council, he is well placed to draw comparisons between the 1992 and 2012 Games.
Lord Rogers described London as being richer – culturally and financially – than any other city in Europe, and said that it was even more exciting and vital than during the 1960s. He said that the long-term benefits of the 2012 Games would regenerate the poorest, least confident part of the city. “We have the possibility of doing something really good, employing great architects to make a real piece of new city,” he concluded.
