Olympic architecture as a competitive sport? Can you imagine architects competing for silver, gold and bronze medals in a global athletic event? There was a time that it was a competitive event. It was extremely important to  the overall culture of the Olympics. Imagine for a moment your favorite architect being able to qualify for competition, to be considered for an Olympic medal based on the judges’ evaluation of their work.

Architects Compete For Gold

Every Olympic games, the public debates heatedly about the true ‘sport’ of some events in the global competition. From event to event, certain sports are added to the competition, with others being dropped from the games. Fans of the Olympics sometimes struggle with the dilemma of what qualifies as a ‘sport’ for competition. From 1912 to 1948, the Olympics were much more encompassing events, recognizing all contributions to the cultural and sporting competition. During that period, the games included medals for the arts, literature, and architecture, as part of the slate of events, even awarding medals for town planning. The original vision of the Olympics was to provide a competition of sport, instead of what was more common, a competition using weapons and acts of war. The inclusion of these artistic categories ensured a wider range of human endeavors and the importance of architecture to the future of the host city. It also makes sense that good, sustainable design would be celebrated. The only Americans to win architecture medals during this period were Charles Downing Lay, who created the Marine Park in Brooklyn, and John Russell Pope, who was given a silver for his design for the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, at Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. Pope’s Gothic Revival giant, an outsized, 12-acre sports facility nicknamed the “temple of sweat,” is still in use today.

The Gold Goes To ADG Lighting

Even though the Olympic competition has changed since that period, we feel strongly that ADG Lighting could easily compete and win the gold! Our creativity and expertise makes us competitive against all others in the industry. Our extensive press page details the success of ADG Lighting across the industry. Our work has been viewed millions of times online and featured in several media outlets, including 20/Twenty Architectural & Beyond, California Homes Magazine, Elle Decor, SFV Business Journal, Architectural Digest, Institute of Classical Architecture Publications, Wall Street Radio, Fox News Charlene on Green Hawaii, North American Design’s Green Leaders of Tomorrow, LA City Watch, LUXE Magazine + other award-winning magazines, books, programs and properties around the world. 

Stop by www.adglighting.com and experience the work of a champion!

Payne Whitney Gymnasium

Marine Park