The Tokyo Olympic Village Plaza is the gateway to the Olympic and Paralympic Village of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and offers a wide range of services to athletes, team officials, guests and the media during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Source: Timberbiz
It is located in Tokyo’s waterfront district and has everything from a cafe to a bank to a medical station to a hair salon. Team welcome ceremonies are held at the Plaza.
In line with the natural feel of the National Stadium, the 5,300 square metre Plaza is made of wood, from timber donated by 63 municipalities in Japan.
The 40,000 pieces of wood are branded with the name of the municipality that donated them.
After the Games, the Plaza will be taken down and the wood will return to the donors, who will recycle for use to build local facilities that will help to commemorate the Games – for example, public benches or parts of school buildings.
Timbers including larch, Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress were donated.
The village was designed by local Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei.
“Use of wood from different regions throughout the building will express diversity and harmony,” said the Olympics in a press release.
“In addition to revitalising the timber industry and contributing to the conservation of sustainable forests, use of Japanese lumber reflects the goal of reducing environmental impacts and realising sustainability by leaving a legacy that attests to the participation of all regions of the country in the Games.”
