thatsnotmypuppy Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Old question - new spin. We have argued over the main stadia so many times - lets discuss AquaticCentres (or Natatorium) - note all photos are how they are today kind of thing... I only went as far as 1984 because I couldn't be fucked trolling google for more pictures. Which is your fave? Beijing Athens Sydney Atlanta Barcelona Seoul Los Angeles (sorry **** shot) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicGames Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Beijing, Water Cube, best Aquatics venue ever. Barcelona, for most spectacular setting. Los Angeles, eh, the worst of the lot displayed here (with all grandstands removed obviously), and I've swam in that pool, I'm a USC graduate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I like the water cube but i dont think it was the best. a bit cold at times.maybe it was just the atmosphere but architecture to me is more than just a cube that can light up. The venue in Atlanta and Barcelona have a memorable charm to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Water Cube, no doubt. Stunning. And kudos to Barcelona for the backdrop and Athens and Atlanta for the sunset settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Torch Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Barcelona wins hands down. The cityscape backdrop was truly awesome. The Water Cube is a great design, but no a scratch on Barcelona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicGames Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 I like the water cube but i dont think it was the best. a bit cold at times.maybe it was just the atmosphere but architecture to me is more than just a cube that can light up. The venue in Atlanta and Barcelona have a memorable charm to them. It wasn't just stunning on the outside, it was beautiful on the inside too: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsnotmypuppy Posted September 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Having been in the Watercube a few times the atmosphere depends on where you are sitting. Up the back you may as well have stayed at home and watched it on TV. Personally some of my best ever Olympic experiences were in the Georgia Tech Aquatic Centre - so Atlanta hands down. The open side meant the venue catches every breeze (a great thing during an Atlanta summer) and the view from the stand was stunning. A simple, but well planned venue. I am partial to the Sydney AC - having swum there numerous times. Also the Picornell pools in Barcelona rely on tehir location for the wow factor - id it wasnt for that it is an awful cement holw filled with water. I also like the Montreal pools in the base of the Olympic Tower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheal_warren Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 For me the watercube is the best as well as Barcelona (for the setting!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicGames Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 I take back what I said about Los Angeles. Knowing what I know now about Sydney's venue and it's ridiculous "wing" with narrow tunnel vision views (idiocy that London seems to be repeating), I vote Sydney as the worst of the lot. I'll take Los Angeles' completely open air setting at USC using three temporary grandstands any day over that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Haven't been to any of them, but I'd say -- for a venue where the competition has to be watched very closely, Sydney and Seoul. As a swimmer, I'd pick the open-air ones. But that's from a recreational POV; not from a competitive one. For me the watercube is the best as well as Barcelona (for the setting!) I think Barcelona being a stunner is quite over-rated. Barcelona's Games only came off looking well because of the GREAT camera angles NBC and Manolo Romero's outfit did. Barcelona is essentially a flat city with some nice neighborhoods and a waterfront revived for 1992. But minus those great angles, - Rio has it beat in terms of topography... - Paris trounces it for grandness of buildings and boulevards - Montreal equals it for a central park in the city on a hill. So the Barcelona that people saw when Greg Louganis soared from a diving board really does NOT exist -- except for those ephemeral moments of 1992. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its a bid of magic Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 The Watercube looked best at night from the outside, when it was all lit up and cycled it's way through various colour themes. Barcelona looked to have the best backdrop for the TV Camera's, especially when the Divers were taking part in competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicGames Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Barcelona looked to have the best backdrop for the TV Camera's, especially when the Divers were taking part in competition. Yes, it is the shots of when the divers were competing that I always remember. However, Diving took place at one venue and Swimming at another. I do believe though that both had the views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicGames Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 Photos of Picornell today: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.