Sunergy of Architecture and Sport

A world class sports complex will impact on the neighboring communities by providing grounds for interaction. The idea of an economic lift through international exposure and athletic competitions such as soccer, swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, tennis, basketball, golf, track and possibly the Summer Olympic Games, as the Peace Games is enticing to a nation which is just now starting to rebuild its cities and is facing a stagnate economy. Many of the sports facilities in Sarajevo and other parts of old Yugoslavia have been destroyed. The opportunity exists, to create a complex where the most basic characteristics of sport are show - cased - camaraderie, healthy competition, sportsmanship and above all, human interaction. All key factors in the conflict resolution arena. Children are the most viable direction to follow. They do not know about war and ethic cleansing. By creating facilities which are designed for interaction, children who latter become adults, realize that ethnicity is irrelevant in a persons character. The other group to be targeted is that comprised of people who are asking themselves the question: what have we done? to our families, neighborhoods, cities and country? The ideas of the self serving leader who uses ethnicity as a means to power are becoming less and less appealing. When these groups are pared with the people who always new that war is wrong, specially when racially or culturally motivated, an healthy atmosphere can be achieved. People from one group will see their children and friends trying their best - sometimes wining, sometimes loosing. The emotional responses associated with it is critical. They will witness other parents from other groups having the same feelings for their children and friends. The observer can't help but notice that regardless of race or creed we are equal. We can expect that some of the residents from different cultures and social backgrounds will interact and become more tolerant if not friends as children and as adults. A teammate in sport, a teammate for life. This is where architecture and sport can be the most effective.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architecture and Urban Studies

Department dc:contributor.department

Architecture and Urban Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Velha, Bernardo

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Wang, Joseph C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Craig, James
• Marand, Hervé L.
• Galloway, William U.
• Schnoedt, Heinrich

• War And Architecture
• Sport And Architecture
• Peace Process
• Rebuilding

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-32198-16486

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36607