WilkinsonEyre was part of Aecom's winning team in an international design competition for the masterplan of the Rio 2016 Olympic Park. It includes three phases: the Rio Olympic Park for the 2016 Games, a transition plan and the final legacy mode after 2016.
WilkinsonEyre was responsible for the scheme design of the Olympic Training Centre – the Cariocas Arenas – which was the largest venue within the Olympic Park and a significant contributor to a defining legacy.
The design comprises three distinct arenas which together provide 36,000 spectator seats and hosted the Olympic basketball, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, Paralympic wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, boccia and sitting volleyball. The Cariocas Arenas were designed from the inside out, with three related sculptural forms arranged in a linear configuration parallel to the main Olympic Walk that ran through the heart of the Olympic Park.
The innovative design required minimal interventions to be transformed into an Elite Athlete Training Centre after the games. The centre has the necessary infrastructure for the training and development of top athletes and allows Rio de Janeiro to continue hosting important international sports events for many years to come.