UPDATE: In an e-mail to ArchDaily, a Sr. PR Manager at OMA told us that while Victor van der Chijs expressed his hopes that Turkey will host the Olympics in an interview with an Anatolia news agency earlier this month, OMA is not planning on opening an office in Turkey any time soon.
OMA, the Rotterdam-based, Dutch architecture and urban development firm, has its eyes set on the location of its next office: Turkey.
Why? They think it’s a safe bet hope that Turkey will edge out both Madrid and Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
As Victor van der Chijs, a partner at OMA, told Anatolia: “We believe that Turkey will win the Olympics. In our opinion it is almost certain Comprehensive investments in sports facilities, infrastructure services and transportation will be needed. That is why we want to take part in urban master planning and projects to prepare for the Olympics.”
Could OMA, who have offices in New York, Beijing, and Hong Kong (and considered having one in Brazil), be starting a new trend? With “legacy” being the new Olympic buzzword (see: our 3-part Olympic City Guide) and smart urban-planning and architecture a necessary part of the Olympic bid, could Architects begin cashing-in on (and perhaps ensuring) Olympic Glory, even before the Games are bestowed?
If so, it seems the torch starts here.
Story via Hürriyet Daily News.
