The stadium of Olympia : a dialogical composition

Abstract

The article proposes a renewed interpretation of the relation of the antique stadium of Olympia with its built environment. It is argued that the stadium, far from being isolated from the city as commonly considered, was connected to the Altis through a series of visual relations, adopting principles of dialogical architecture: composition, significant location, functional routes, perceptions, role of architectonic elements and spatial characteristics. This argument is illustrated through computer-generated perspectives of the stadium.