Approximately 15,000 athletes and officials will stay in unique temporary accommodations during the Asian Games in Japan [1].
These housing choices represent a shift toward innovative, non-traditional infrastructure for major sporting events. By utilizing temporary structures, organizers can reduce the long-term environmental and financial costs associated with building permanent athlete villages.
The event is scheduled to take place from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, 2024 [1], in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area [1]. To accommodate the large influx of participants, organizers are implementing a variety of distinctive living arrangements.
Half of the 15,000 athletes and officials are expected to stay in temporary quarters [4]. These options include stays on a cruise ship and in wooden huts [2].
Organizers said the goal is to provide a distinctive experience for participants through these innovative housing solutions [2]. The use of a cruise ship allows for a mobile, high-capacity residential hub, while the wooden huts offer a different architectural experience within the Aichi region.
This approach to athlete housing allows the host city to manage the surge of 15,000 people [1] without requiring the construction of massive, permanent dormitories that often go unused after the closing ceremonies. The mix of luxury maritime stays and rustic wooden dwellings is designed to make the stay a memorable part of the competition experience.
“Approximately 15,000 athletes and officials will stay in unique temporary accommodations”
The use of cruise ships and wooden huts reflects a growing trend in global sports management to prioritize sustainability and flexibility over permanent construction. By avoiding 'white elephant' projects—expensive facilities that lack a purpose after an event—Nagoya is testing a scalable model for urban hosting that relies on temporary, repurposed infrastructure.
