Kengo Kuma denies copying Zaha Hadid's Tokyo Olympic stadium designs amid copyright dispute

Architect Kengo Kuma has rejected allegations from Zaha Hadid's office that his design for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium copies elements from Hadid's original plans. Hadid's designs were abandoned in 2015 due to rising construction costs. Kuma argued that competition guidelines naturally led to some similarities, but emphasized his concept is distinct, resulting in a completely different building. He declined to address copyright issues directly. Meanwhile, Hadid has accused the Japan Sports Council of withholding payment for her work and demanding she waive copyright claims. The consortium developing Kuma's stadium includes two Japanese firms that previously collaborated with Hadid. The controversy was reported by The Guardian in January 2016. Hadid, recipient of the 2016 Royal Gold Medal for architecture, remains embroiled in financial and intellectual property disputes over the scrapped project.