London 2012 Olympic Stadium Design Unveiled
On the 7th November 2007, the design of the main stadium for the London 2012 Olympics was unveiled. With a project value of 946 million pounds, the prime sports arena to be used between 27 July - 12 August 2012 has been hailed by a number of influential figures involved with the Olympics. In the words of Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister: "No-one can say we've compromised on design, on sustainability or on the legacy potential."
80,000-Seater Olympic Stadium's Construction to Begin in 2008
Construction of the flagship structure will now begin, it has been announced, in April next year: ahead of the originally anticipated timescale. Capable of accommodating 80,000 spectators, the Olympic stadium's design allows it, after the event, to be converted into a community venue able to hold 25,000. The possibility exists that it could also be used as the home venue for a football/ rugby team.
Speaking to the media, the London Organising Committee's Chairman, Lord Coe, described the structure as a "stadium for a new era". He continued: "It's a stadium that delivers on everything we said we would deliver on; a stadium with track and field as its primary legacy; a stadium that will be reduced from 80,000 seats in Olympic mode to a 25,000-seater community base".
Echoing his comments, Ms Jowell added: "This is a very important Olympic milestone and this stadium is focused very much on legacy and sustainability. Once the Games are over this will then be translated into a stadium that will not only host grand prix athletics events and other national sport events but will also serve the communities of the boroughs."
"This augments and complements the other great stadia that London now has - Wembley, the Emirates and the new development at Twickenham,"
Olympic Stadium's Construction - The Main Features
The stadium will be a focal point for spectators and participants alike during the 17 days of the Games. From a construction perspective, its salient features include:
- A roof supported by cables that extend 28 metres over the spectator areas, and the entire way around the stadium. In this way, approximately 66 per cent of spectators will be under cover
- A curtain made out of fabric capable of covering the structure of the stadium all the way around - designed to offer spectators additional shelter and protection
- 25,000 fixed seats, and 55,000 that can be repositioned
- Lower fixed seats - permitting spectators to gain a closer view of the action
- Individual self-contained structures within the stadium for the purposes of merchandising and catering
According to HoK Sport's Rod Sheard - the chief architect involved with the stadium - the structure has immense significance within the construction industry. "This is not a stadium that's going to be screaming from the rooftops that it's bigger and more spectacular," he stated.
"This is just a cleverer building. This is a cleverer solution."
Adaptable Stadium Will be Converted After Olympics
Mr Sheard added that the structure's adaptability - in the sense of its future conversion from Olympic Stadium to a 25,000-seater venue - marked it as extremely innovative.
"We've ended up with a very tight, very compelling bowl," he said. "The atmosphere inside this bowl, we think, will be pretty special."
HoK Sport is an architectural firm, previously involved in projects including the new Wembley Stadium, the O2 Arena, Ascot Racecourse and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
In respect of the Olympic Stadium, its construction will need to be completed by early 2012 to permit necessary testing to take place. The construction itself will undertaken by a team fronted by Sir Robert MacAlpine Ltd.
Source - Construction International's London Reporter
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