What to do with Olympic buildings after the event is over is a perennial problem for host cities. This photo roundup by Claire Cottrell shows what I imagine are worst case scenarios.
The ruin that’s befallen these sites, though, doesn’t happen to every venue. I vividly remember visiting Munich’s Olympic grounds in high school, looking out over the vast, swooping acrylic canopies, and walking through the Schwimmhalle, which was holding open swim. And until 2006, the Olympiastadion was home to FC Bayern-München. But not every venue was well used. Even one of the most charismatic parts of the park—the acrylic canopies—were costly to maintain, and some questioned their longevity.
London’s plan for the Olympics kept this in mind, though some still question whether the emphasis on “legacy” is enough. Time will tell.