As Finalist Cities Compete for the 2012 Olympic Nod, Three Factors Are Key: Compactness, Sustainability and Branding, According To RTKL; Boon or Bust? What Happens After the Games is True Test of a Host City.

BALTIMORE -- As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluates the final bids for the 2012 Games, expect the three factors of compactness, sustainability and branding to determine which city gets the final nod, according to urban planning experts at RTKL, one of the leading planning and architecture firms in the world. According to RTKL, the five contending cities - London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris - will compete largely on their ability to integrate the Olympic village into the overall city plan and to sustain the Olympic brand over time.

"One lesson learned from past Olympics is the importance of striking a balance between compactness, or clumping all venues in one central location, and sprawl, allowing a great deal of distance between each venue," notes Nate Cherry, an RTKL Vice President. "In Athens, planners left too much space between each venue, making it difficult for visitors to navigate the village during the games and for developers to create a sense of place after the games. On the other end of the spectrum, the facilities in Sydney were isolated in one area outside of the downtown core, making it hard to integrate the Olympic facilities into the fabric of the city."

Another key consideration is environmental sustainability, which all five cities are emphasizing in some capacity. Paris has committed to 'zero net greenhouse gas emissions' and London has proposed a 'zero-waste Games' by using waste as a resource for recycling and re-use. Yet sustainability, "goes beyond the reduction of pollutant emissions," adds Cherry. "The real question is whether a host city is able to integrate the kick-start the Olympics presents into a sustainable development pattern that helps sustain the city in the long term."

Perhaps most important, the IOC will look for a city that can uphold and strengthen the overall Olympic brand.

In terms of the five Olympic contenders, RTKL underscores several factors in favor of each locale:

--London: London's overall plan is solid and sustainable. It integrates the old with the new very well and transforms an underdeveloped industrial area in east London into a model for sustainable urban development. The regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley would create the largest new urban park in Europe in more than 150 years, including the building of 9,000 new homes with over half of them designated as affordable housing. From a branding perspective, however, the British public is less enthusiastic about the 2012 bid than citizens from other contending cities, such as Paris or Madrid. London's transportation network - including its airports - is also a negative.

--Madrid: Madrid's warm climate may prove to be a problem for this host city contender. Still, the city offers a solid, environmental plan for the Olympics, branding its bid the "Sustainable Olympic Games." The city promises that new parks will be created and that transportation used in the Olympic areas will be ecological and public.

--Moscow: When it comes to compactness, Moscow scores high marks. "A 2012 Moscow Olympics would be the first where every event would take place within the confines of the host city," said Paris Rutherford, an RTKL Vice President and Director of the Planning/Urban Design group. "Almost all venues would be within 10-15 minutes of each other by ground transportation. The River Plan celebrates the historic downtown area, but also provides a sensible ferry transit system and plans to regenerate the river banks. Moscow's bid ultimately has the potential to erase the memories of the 1980 Games and reinforce Russia's democratic transformation. It could be a true Olympian celebration of the city."

--New York: "From a branding perspective, New York is a strong contender," Cherry said. "As a high-profile, multi-cultural urban center, it is the sentimental favorite. "But the design and architecture of the city's Olympic village is awkward - not at all visionary - lessening the city's ability to attract visitors during and after the games."

--Paris: Concerns about terrorism and security aside, Paris is the current favorite for the 2012 games. The city has done an extraordinary job of branding itself as an Olympic contender and has tremendous appeal to attract traffic as a tourist destination - long after the 2012 games have concluded.

"Historically, the Olympic Games has been a great gift to host cities," said Rutherford. "But the bidding process is so complicated and expensive that cities can lose sight of the original Olympian spirit. The strain felt by Athens in 2004 should serve as a reminder to the IOC that the host city should be poised to flourish in step with the Games. The Olympics should always be a celebration of the city."

RTKL is a worldwide architecture, engineering, planning and creative services organization. Founded in 1946, the firm specializes in providing its services across the full development cycle to create places of distinction. With projects around the globe, RTKL is an idea-driven firm providing innovative customized business solutions and seamless delivery to clients in commercial, cultural and government realms. For more information, please visit www.rtkl.com.