This document analyzes the Athletes' Village at the 2012 London Olympic Games. It discusses how the village was designed to foster international cooperation and cultural exchange among athletes from around the world, as envisioned by the founder of the modern Olympics. The village had amenities to serve as a temporary home for athletes, and teams inhabited the space through displays of national flags, pins, ceremonies, and use of the dining hall and social media. The document examines how athletes balanced their individual and collective identities within the village community.

1. Site analysis of the Athletes’ VillageSite analysis of the Athletes’ Village
at the London 2012 Olympic Gamesat the London 2012 Olympic Games
Antonia MochanAntonia Mochan
Mobility, Culture and CommunicationMobility, Culture and Communication
March 2014March 2014

2. GamesmakerGamesmaker

3. The Athletes’ VillageThe Athletes’ Village

4. ––Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the Modern Olympic GamesBaron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the Modern Olympic Games
““provide a happy and fraternal meeting placeprovide a happy and fraternal meeting place
for the youth of the world where, gradually, thefor the youth of the world where, gradually, the
ignorance of each other in which people liveignorance of each other in which people live
will disappear.”will disappear.”

5. The village as a villageThe village as a village
• Mayor and deputy MayorsMayor and deputy Mayors
• NewspaperNewspaper
• Amenities (hair/nail salon, post office, shop, bar)Amenities (hair/nail salon, post office, shop, bar)
• ChaplainsChaplains
• Hospital, gymHospital, gym
• BUT temporaryBUT temporary

6. ContextContext

7. How did teams inhabit theHow did teams inhabit the
space?space?

8. National flagsNational flags

9. PinsPins

10. CeremoniesCeremonies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HBfg_Li0P7Yv=HBfg_Li0P7Y

11. Dining HallDining Hall

12. Social MediaSocial Media

13. IndividuaIndividua
ll
CollectivCollectiv
ee
OpeOpe
nn
CloseClose
dd FlagsFlags
PinsPins
Dining HallDining Hall
Social mediaSocial media
CeremoniesCeremonies
““Villageness"Villageness"

14. References andReferences and
acknowledgementsacknowledgements
• Aurelien, Daly and Ian Patterson (Flickr users) for photos via Creative CommonsAurelien, Daly and Ian Patterson (Flickr users) for photos via Creative Commons
• Garcia and Miah “Intangible, invisible but impacting” in Culture @ the Olympics, 2005: vol 7, issue 5, pp 24-34Garcia and Miah “Intangible, invisible but impacting” in Culture @ the Olympics, 2005: vol 7, issue 5, pp 24-34
• Field “Mapping the London 2012 Olympics” in The Cartographic Journal, vol 49, no 3, pp 281-296Field “Mapping the London 2012 Olympics” in The Cartographic Journal, vol 49, no 3, pp 281-296
• Yu “Olympic aspirations: Reconstructed Images, National Identity and International Integration” in TheYu “Olympic aspirations: Reconstructed Images, National Identity and International Integration” in The
International Journal of the History of Sport, vol 27, now 16-18, pp 2821-2841International Journal of the History of Sport, vol 27, now 16-18, pp 2821-2841
• MacRury and Poynter “‘Team GB’ and London 2012: The Paradox of National and Global Identities” in TheMacRury and Poynter “‘Team GB’ and London 2012: The Paradox of National and Global Identities” in The
International Journal of the History of Sport, vol 27, now 16-18, pp 2958-2975International Journal of the History of Sport, vol 27, now 16-18, pp 2958-2975
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Research Note) “ Cardiff School of Social Sciences Working Paper SeriesResearch Note) “ Cardiff School of Social Sciences Working Paper Series
• Torres “Morally Incompatible?: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Competitive Sport and InternationalTorres “Morally Incompatible?: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Competitive Sport and International
Relations at the Olympic Games” SAIS Review of International Affairs, Volume 31, Number 1, Winter-SpringRelations at the Olympic Games” SAIS Review of International Affairs, Volume 31, Number 1, Winter-Spring
2011, pp. 3-16 (Article)2011, pp. 3-16 (Article)
• Westwood and Phizacklea Trans-nationalism and the politics of belonging, 2000, Routledge, LondonWestwood and Phizacklea Trans-nationalism and the politics of belonging, 2000, Routledge, London