Architecture, Architectural Designs, Open

66 architects and architectural firms, respectively, from 13 countries entered the competition with a total of 81 projects and the international judging panel had to evaluate approximately 450 models, drawings, and photographs. The architects had a wide range of options: drawings, watercolors, perspective drawings, sketches and photographs of models or building projects could be submitted. The exhibits for the two competitions “Town Planning” and “Architectural Design” were identical, but were assessed separately for both categories. Two works by Italian architects were shown “hors concours”. All six medals were awarded.

For the competition in Architectural Design the gold medal went to Dutch architect Jan Wils for Olympisch Stadion van Amsterdam (Olympic Stadium at Amsterdam). He was the only architect to win an Olympic medal with a design that was realized for the same Olympics. One of its notable features is the “Marathontoren” (Marathon gate), a 40 m high tower. Wils planned to have a fire burn on top of this tower throughout the Olympics. A traditional Greek symbol, the socialist Wils supposedly used fire to juxtapose his tower against church towers, as Dutch Christian politicians had been largely opposed to holding the “heathen” Olympics in the Netherlands.

The silver medal went to Danish architect Ejnar Mindedal Rasmussen for Swimming Pool in Ollerup, and the bronze medal was earned by French Jacques Lambert, who had already received the silver medal for the same work in the other architectural category, town planning.