Zaha abandons Tokyo Olympic stadium bid

A team featuring Zaha Hadid Architects and the world’s second biggest architect have pulled out of the competition to build the 2020 Olympic Stadium in Tokyo – because it can’t find a contractor to build its design.

Hadid and Japanese practice Nikken Sekkei – last year’s runner-up in the WA Top 100 list – said last week they were preparing a fresh bid for the scheme, after their original proposals were thrown out on cost grounds.

But the pair have now ditched their bid because “[they] have not been able to secure a construction company in its consortium and therefore announce they are unable to enter”.

The competition rules required design firms to form a consortium covering planning, design, construction and construction supervision.

In a statement, ZHA said: “It is disappointing that the two years of work and investment in the existing design for a new National Stadium for Japan cannot be further developed to meet the new brief through the new design competition.”

Hadid’s winning decision was dropped in July due to escalating costs but the practice said it and Nikken Sekkei were “prepared and able to deliver a cost-effective stadium”.

It added that it was on standby to help “use the wealth of detailed knowledge and expertise built up through the thousands of hours dedicated to the project, to assist the national and Tokyo governments”.