Architectural Record
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Architectural Record
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Awards
    • Interviews
    • Obituaries
    • Podcasts
      • Design:Ed Podcast
      • Sponsored Podcasts
  • OPINION
    • Book Reviews / Excerpts
    • Exhibition Reviews
    • Forum
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Videos
    • Design Vanguard
    • Top 300 Firms
    • Sponsored Content
    • Sponsored eBooks
    • From the Archives
  • CONTINUING ED
    • Editorial Continuing Ed
    • CE Center
    • CE Academies
  • PROJECTS
    • Buildings By Type
    • Reuse & Renovation
    • Museums & Arts Centers
    • Colleges & Universities
    • Multifamily Housing
    • Interiors
    • Lighting
    • Kitchen & Bath
  • HOUSES
    • Record Houses
    • House of the Month
    • Featured Houses
  • PRODUCTS
    • Products by Category
    • Record Products of the Year
    • Latest Products
  • EVENTS
    • Dates & Events
    • Record on the Road
    • Innovation Conference
    • Sustainability in Practice
    • Women In Architecture
    • Webinars
    • Ad Excellence Awards
    • Submit an Event
  • CONNECT
    • Ask RECORD AI
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Store
    • Customer Service
  • SUBMIT
    • Submission Guidelines
    • RECORD Competitions
  • MAGAZINE
    • Subscribe
    • My Account
    • Digital Edition
    • Current Issue
    • Firm Pass
    • Historic Archive
Architecture News

Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster

By Anna Fixsen
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Image via Japan Sport Council
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Image via Japan Sport Council
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Image via Japan Sport Council
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
Zaha Hadid Architects Seeks to Set Record Straight About Tokyo Stadium Ouster
July 28, 2015

Architects & Firms

Zaha Hadid Architects

Japanese officials are finding out that breaking up is hard to do, especially with Zaha Hadid.

Today the starchitect's London-based firm Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) issued a 1,440 word statement to "set the record straight" regarding its ouster from the National Stadium design in Tokyo. The rebuttal comes after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced July 17 that the stadium design would "start over from zero" after contending with costs soaring upwards of $2 billion, which many attributed to ZHA's bombastic plan.

ZHA begs to differ.

In the statement, the firm asserts that its design proposal had nothing to do with the staggering price tag, and that it was ready to create "a lower cost design at any time." Instead, ZHA blames the stadium's client, the Japan Sports Council (JSC), for appointing contractors too early and without cost estimates, limiting the possibility for competive bidding. The firm says they pointed this out to JSC, but "our warning was not heeded."

The proposed stadium is meant to host the Rugby World Cup in just five years, the Tokyo 2020 games, and events "for the next 50 to 100 years." ZHA's design—which faced fierce opposition and drew comparisons to a turtle and a bicycle helmet—was approved by the government July 7, only to be scrapped ten days later after a JSC report claimed the design was responsible for the mounting budget, specifically indicting the steel roof arches that would support a polymer membrane roof.

ZHA’s memo goes on to point out that construction costs in Tokyo have increased by a whopping 25 percent between July 2013 and July 2015 and will continue to skyrocket in the five years leading up to the stadium's debut. ZHA also warns that ditching the design this late in the game will make for a "rushed design process" and "risk producing a lower standard National Stadium with limited future usage."

"Starting the design process gain does not tackle any of the fundamental issues that have led to an increased estimate in budget," the firm says. The solution? To maintain ZHA's design.

"We have always been, and still are, prepared to use the expertise and knowledge that has been developed to work with the JSC to produce a lower cost design to a change in specification," the firm says, also underscoring the thousands of hours its design team devoted to the scheme's development.

The firm says it has already written to Prime Minister Abe for additional review to prove that its plan offers the "most cost-effective solution" to create the "best" stadium.

Read ZHA's statement in its entirety here.

KEYWORDS: Olympics Tokyo

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Anna Fixsen was a staff writer and editor for Architectural Record from 2013 to 2017, during which time she covered topics ranging from new projects to human rights, and edited Firms to Watch—a special section devoted to emerging architecture firms.

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Architectural Record audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Architectural Record or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • cold storage facility
    Sponsored byCarlisle SynTec Systems

    How Architects Can Design More Continuous Cold Storage Envelopes

  • TAMLYN XtremeTrim Exterior Trim
    Sponsored byTamlyn

    Designing Cleaner Panel Facades: Why Exterior Trim Details Matter

  • Building with Vapor Barriers
    Sponsored byReef Industries, Inc.

    Vapor Barriers Help Control Moisture in Tighter Building Designs

DESIGN:ED Podcast
Listen to Architectural Record’s DESIGN:ED Podcast

Events

June 30, 2026

Generator Selection and Sizing for Outage-Ready Homes

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Explore how propane-powered systems and whole-home generators can improve energy resilience, reduce electrical loads, and lower long-term residential costs.

July 1, 2026

Hospitality in Higher Education

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Explore how hospitality-driven campus design can strengthen belonging, wellbeing, and community connection in higher education environments.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Popular Stories

Obama Presidential Center, Chicago

The Obama Presidential Center Opens on Chicago’s South Side

Lorcan O' Herilhy

California Architect Lorcan O’Herlihy Has Died, Age 66

Spoonbill Ranch

Johnsen Schmaling Architects Integrates Spoonbill Ranch into a Pristine Landscape

Image of Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music

The CookFox-designed Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music Opens in New Jersey

Kìwekì Point, Ottawa, Canada

Perched High Above the Ottawa River, Kìwekì Point Showcases Sweeping Views of the Canadian Capital Region

Generator Selection and Sizing for Outage-Ready Homes - Free Webinar - June 30, 2026

Related Articles

  • Filmmaker Son of Scott Brown and Venturi to Set Record Straight?

    See More
  • Zaha Hadid's $2 Billion Tokyo Stadium Design Cancelled

    See More
  • Aga Khan Awards

    BIG, Zaha Hadid Architects Among 2016 Aga Khan Award Recipients

    See More
×

The latest news and information

#1 Source for Architectural Design, News and Products

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Submit
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • Linkedin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing