My love affair with the Olympics started over four years ago, in January 2008. When I walked past the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Village construction site, I was a goner. Photographing the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium and Athletes’ Village in 2010 sealed the deal. My next stop was London 2012.
Old Salt Building, Olympic Village Site Looking West, Vancouver 2008
© Leslie Hossack
Eleven Cranes, Olympic Village Site Looking East, Vancouver 2008
© Leslie Hossack
In Vancouver, I was captivated by the vision of a dozen tower cranes moving gracefully together. Sometimes they reminded me of a finely tuned orchestra; sometimes they looked like a beautifully choreographed ballet. From that very first glance, I felt compelled to return to Southeast False Creek again and again to photograph the massive construction site of the Vancouver Athletes’ Village.
I knew from the beginning that I had to document the area over a four-year period: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. It was a rare opportunity to witness the construction of a village, and the creation of a community, from the ground up.
Initially, the village on Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek would be one of the world’s most exclusive gated communities. It would be home to elite athletes from around the globe in the winter of 2010. The Olympic motto Citius, Altius, Fortius means: “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” I often thought that this motto applied not only to the athletes, but also to the construction of the village. It was a fascinating example of project management and coordination.
To see my photographs of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium and Athletes’ Village, please visit my website: lesliehossack.com.
HAUTE VITRINE 