March 5 2008

RMJM has defended its work for the 2008 Beijing Olympics following the recent spate of negative coverage and calls for a boycott.

Hollywood director Steven Spielberg pulled out as the Games’ artistic director in February this year triggering a flood of calls to boycott the Games because of China’s human rights record and alleged inaction on the issue of Darfur. 

RMJM is the only UK architects to have designed a building for the Games, and its chief executive Peter Morrison has hit out at calls for a boycott.

“Everyone will acknowledge that the China of today is moving rapidly away from the China of the past,” said Morrison. “We are committed to providing the best buildings for the people of China, whether a university building, offices or homes. The country is visibly changing and we don’t think that the population should be deprived of world class facilities because of the problems the country has faced historically. Architects have a big role to play in changing perceptions and should be helping to improve people¹s lives through the creation of quality environments for all to live and work”

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