by ArchitectureWeek

Olympic Stadium - Populous   Olympic Park - EDAW Consortium   London Aquatics Centre - Zaha Hadid Architects   Velodrome - Hopkins Architects
Copper Box - Make Architects   International Broadcast Centre - Allies and Morrison   London Shooting Venue - Magma Architecture   Basketball Arena - Wilkinson Eyre Architects   Water Polo Arena - David Morley Architects
Riverbank Arena - Populous   Olympic Village - 16 Architects and Firms   Additional Olympic Venues

Olympic Stadium

"The innovative flexible design of the Olympic Stadium means its 80,000 capacity can be reduced after the Games. It has a permanent lower tier with a capacity of 25,000, and a temporary steel and concrete upper tier, which holds a further 55,000 spectators, that can be dismantled after the Games.

"Amenities such as catering and toilets, normally found inside sports stadia, have been located in temporary facilities around the outside of the Stadium. Facilities for athletes within the Stadium include changing rooms, medical support facilities and a 60m warm-up track.

"The lower tier sits within a bowl in the ground, which minimises the use of construction materials. This bowl was created by excavating 800,000 tonnes of soil, the majority of which was cleaned and reused elsewhere on the Olympic Park." — London 2012

Location: Olympic Park, London, England
Events: Athletics/ Track and Field, Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Type: Permanent, stadium
Capacity: 80,000 (reduced to 25,000 after Olympics)
Dates: May 2008 to March 2011

Designer: Populous
Builder: Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.
Structural/ Services Engineer: Buro Happold
Client: Olympic Delivery Authority
Construction System: concrete, steel



Olympic Park

The Olympic Park is the central, 500-acre (200-hectare) campus of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The park is host to a total of eight permanent and temporary primary venues, and to a range of visitor attractions and events during the games.

The park is located near the Stratford area of east London and straddles the River Lea. Following the conclusion of the 2012 Paralympic Games, the park will be renamed Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Masterplan: EDAW Consortium, including EDAW (now part of AECOM), Buro Happold, Foreign Office Architects, Populous, and Allies and Morrison.
Client: Olympic Delivery Authority
Area: Over 500 acres (200 hectares)
Other names: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (name after the 2012 Olympics)



London Aquatics Centre

"A concept inspired by the fluid geometry of water in motion, creating spaces and a surrounding environment in sympathy with the river landscape of the Olympic Park. An undulating roof sweeps up from the ground as a wave, enclosing the pools of the Centre with its unifying gesture." — Zaha Hadid Architects

Location: Olympic Park, London, England
Events: Diving, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Modern Pentathlon
Type: Permanent, swimming center
Capacity: 17,500 (reduced to 2,500 after Olympics)
Area: 36,875 square meters (396,920 square feet)
Dates:

Designer: Zaha Hadid Architects
Sports Architect: S+P Architects, London
Structural/ Services: Ove Arup & Partners, London, Newcastle
Fire: Arup Fire, London
Acoustic: Arup Acoustics, London
Facade: Robert-Jan Van Santen Associates, Lille
Lighting: Arup Lighting, London
Kitchen Design: Winton Nightingale, London
Maintenance Access: Reef, London
Temp Construction: Edwin Shirley Staging, London
Security: Arup Security, London
AV/ IT: Mark Johnson Consultants, London
Access: Access = Design, London
CDM Coordinator: Total CDM Solutions, Cardigan
BREEAM: Ove Arup & Partners, London
Client: Olympic Delivery Authority
Construction System: concrete and steel

Velodrome

The Velodrome is one of four permanent venues at London's Olympic Park. Designed to host indoor cycling events for the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the venue will also provide continuing public functions after the games, with minimal transformation.

Deriving its form from the track itself, the sweeping building comprises three main elements: the roof, the concourse, and the plinth. The glazed concourse separates the curve of the wood-clad roof soffit from the concrete and landscaping of the plinth.

Internally the material palette is carefully controlled; fine cast-in-place concrete abounds. The material and visual emphasis is on the beauty and color of the timber track.

The arena is surprisingly intimate for a 6,000-seat venue, with the cable-net roof sitting low over the bowl. No seat is very far from the track.

The building is a consummate exercise in a simple idea beautifully and efficiently carried out.

Location: Olympic Park, London, England
Events: Cycling
Type: Permanent, indoor cycling arena
Capacity: 6,000
Area: 21,700 square meters (234,000 square feet)
Dates: May 2007 to January 2011

Designer: Hopkins Architects
Builder: ISG PLC
Services Engineer: BDSP
Client: Olympic Delivery Authority
Construction System: cast-in-place concrete with cable-net steel roof and FSC-certified red cedar and Siberian pine.


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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The main stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, in London, England, designed by Populous. Photo: Populous/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The Olympic Park, home to 8 permanent and temporary venues, near the Stratford area of London, England. Photo: Anthony Charlton/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE Seating for 80,000 in the Olympic Stadium, including 55,000 temporary seats in an upper level and 25,000 permanent seats in the lower level. Photo: Steve Bates/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE London Aquatics Center, in Olympic Park, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. Photo: David Poultney/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image Diving and swimming pools inside the 17,500-seat London Aquatics Center. Photo: Steve Bates/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image Zaha Hadid's signature diving platforms. Photo: Steve Bates/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE Precast concrete-frame skylights in a cast-in-place ceiling inside the London Aquatics Center. Photo: Steve Bates/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image Velodrome indoor cycling arena, designed by Hopkins Architects. Photo: © Anthony Palme/ ODA Extra Large Image The steel cable-net roof of the Velodrome. Photo: © Martin Keogh Extra Large Image The outdoor BMX race track, adjacent to the Velodrome. Photo: Justin Setterfield/ Courtesy London 2012 Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.