Skip navigation

Laura Brown

Postgraduate Research

LB Profile 255 X 255The Summer Olympic Games have exhibited exponential growth in size and popularity over recent decades; attaining a truly global status exacerbated by technological advancements. Despite the escalating costs and economical pressures associated with hosting the Games, the role of host city continues to hold prestige, honour, and regeneration possibilities for cities. Offering a brief appraisal of the historical development, architectural endeavours, and the priorities for post-use in Olympic construction, this research considers the multi-faceted construct of architectural legacy; and applies a framework to test those principles at urban and architectural scales. Focused upon the design process and architectural quality of Olympic nodes in the post World War II European Olympic Cities of London (1948), Helsinki (1952), Rome (1960), Munich (1972), Barcelona (1992), Athens (2004) and London (2012), the research proposition is to develop design principles to maximise effective, sustainable use of buildings, and regeneration of host cities for future Games. 

Supervisors

  • Dr Manuel Cresciani
  • Professor Bob Giddings

Key Publications

Research Paper: Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam, Future Visions, Olympic Legacies of Roma 1960 and Athens 2004, co-authored by Dr. Manuel Cresciani.

Research Paper: Proceedings of the 12th International Postgraduate Research Conference 2015, Salford, Evaluating Perspectives of Olympic Legacy in Modern European Olympic Architecture (1948-2012). (Awarded: PVC Research and Innovation Award for Best Paper on Impact on Society, Industry and Academia).

Poster Presentation: Northumbria University Annual Research Conference 2015, Evaluating Legacies of Modern European Olympic Architecture (1948-2012). 


a sign in front of a crowd
+

Northumbria Open Days

Open Days are a great way for you to get a feel of the University, the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the course(s) you are interested in.

a person sitting at a table using a laptop
+
NU World Virtual Tours
+

Virtual Tour

Get an insight into life at Northumbria at the click of a button! Come and explore our videos and 360 panoramas to immerse yourself in our campuses and get a feel for what it is like studying here using our interactive virtual tour.

Latest News and Features

Universities re-affirm strategic partnership for city
Hasan Hamid and Graham Baty outside of Burger Drop on Westgate road.
Spend to Save Britain
Volcano
Jing Jiang and Eamon Scullion, pictured holding cube sats
Remembering Professor Keith Shaw
More news

Back to top