Dennis Hollingsworth

Deep Water

Another sounding of the depth of the malaise within architecture:

"The proposals to date have been on the unambitious side," Ms. Helfand said. "They are not on the level they should be. This is an opportunity for new ideas. After all, excellence is what the Olympics are all about."

Ms. Helfand said she hoped that the best ? architecturally speaking ? was yet to come with the design of the Olympic Village, where the 16,000 athletes would live three or four to an apartment for 17 days. An innovative design study is under way to select an architect for the site in Queens West, across the East River from the United Nations.

The Olympic Village selection process attracted 132 architects, both unknown and renowned, from the United States and abroad, who submitted their qualifications in November.