London 2012 Velodrome
The roof supports continue to go up.
London 2012 Basketball Arena
Report by CABE (government advisor on architecture and urban design) sourced by
DarJoLe.
Twelve thousand capacity temporary arena for the basketball competition and the Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby competitions. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre.
Olympic Delivery Authority,
http://www.cabe.org.uk/design-review...etball-arena-2
30 October 2009, Planning reference: 09/90275/AODODA
We reviewed the original planning application for this scheme on 30 January 2009.
We have now considered the additional information provided relating to the detailed design of the external membrane of the Basketball venue and make the following comments in respect of detail and the overall building.
We are happy to support the outcome of what has been a productive, iterative design process. Certainty as to use and re-use has helped focus on the necessary attributes of this very large temporary facility. We think, as proposed, the venue will be striking and that the final detail design of sculpted membrane panels is a considerable improvement on earlier versions.
We think the proposed LED lighting strategy in its current form would be acceptable although we would understand if other strategies, for example projection, were in the end employed. In respect of the fabric colour we think that projection would be better served by the lighter colour envisaged. We anticipate reviewing the final proposed lighting choice at the appropriate time.
London 2012 Aquatic Centre
London 2012 Aquatics Centre roof and dive pool complete
11 November 2009,
http://www.london2012.com/news/media...l-complete.php
The wave-shaped Aquatics Centre roof has been successfully lifted and lowered into place completing what was one of the most complex engineering and construction challenges of the Olympic Park ‘big build’.
The 160m long sweeping roof frame of the Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre, weighing over 3000 tonnes and resting on just three concrete supports, will be the gateway to the Olympic Park. In legacy the venue will provide two 50m swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area for community and elite use.
The roof steel was fabricated in Newport from plate rolled in Gateshead, Motherwell and Scunthorpe, assembled on the Aquatics Centre site and connected together 20m off the ground on temporary supports. The completed roof frame was then carefully lifted over 1m at one end and lowered into its permanent position with the temporary supports removed.
ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said:
'The Aquatics Centre is on track for completion in mid-2011 and the sweeping roof that will form the ‘Gateway to the Games’ is now a fixture in the skyline alongside the Olympic Stadium. The Aquatics Centre will be a new landmark building for east London and will offer elite and community swimming and diving facilities in legacy.
'Across the programme we are on schedule and within budget. However, we are not complacent. Our toughest year is ahead of us as the workforce and activity on site reaches a peak.'
London 2012 Organising Committee Chairman Sebastian Coe said:
'The Aquatics Centre is going to be a spectacular venue for the Games in 2012 and its unique roof will be a wonderful addition to the east London skyline. At Games-time, 17,500 excited spectators will be able to ‘raise the roof’ cheering on the swimmers, including our British medal hopefuls, and in legacy it will become a much-needed elite and community facility. We are making great progress – and are fully on track with this iconic gateway to the Olympic Park.'
Tessa Jowell, Olympic Minister, said:
'The wave-shaped roof of the Aquatics Centre is an iconic feature of the Olympic Park and one which will inspire thousands of elite athletes and keep-fitters during the Games and beyond. The construction of the roof has drawn on the skills and expertise of businesses in England, Scotland and Wales and now with the difficult technical manoeuvre needed to lift the roof into place complete, this is another success in the Park’s development.'
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:
'Not only does the Aquatics Centre act as a benchmark for the amazing pace of delivery on the 2012 Games, but along with the Stadium, it also provides an early taste of the truly fantastic legacy that is already rising out of the Olympic Park.'
British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes said:
'The Aquatics Centre with its unique design will, I am sure, inspire all our athletes to work hard to not only compete in 2012 but to make the nation proud of the facility and athletes as they deliver medal winning performances. Bringing this magnificent building to life in 2012 will inspire Londoners to swim more and have great fun in the Aquatics Centre for years to come.'
Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company which is responsible for the long term planning, management and maintenance of the Olympic Park and venues after the Games, said:
'The Aquatics Centre will be an iconic building and a thriving centre for community use in the Park after the Games. Its two 50m pools and a 25m diving pool will also offer elite swimmers a world class training facility.
'Its roof is set to become one of the most recognisable features of the Park.'
Raising the roof
In March 2009 the ‘big lift’ began of the 160m long and up to 90m wide roof which rests on two concrete supports at the northern end and a 28m long and 5m wide, supporting ‘wall’ at its southern end.
A huge 30m steel truss weighing over 70 tonnes was lifted into place on top of the southern wall and connected to ten steel trusses each made up of four sections which in total will span up to 120m to the two northern roof supports.
The steel trusses were fabricated in Newport from plate rolled in Gateshead, Motherwell and Scunthorpe, assembled on the Aquatics Centre site and connected together 20m off the ground on three rows of temporary support trestles.
Once the steel frame was complete it was lifted over a metre at its southern end, turning on rotating joints in the northern roof supports. The top of the temporary trestles was removed and the 160m long roof frame lowered on to its three permanent roof supports.
As the full weight of the roof rested on its supports is slid approximately 20cm into its joints on the southern wall.
The roof has been designed to stretch, twist and contract in response to the effects of snow, wind and changing temperatures.
Temporary trestles, which have now all been removed, were taken out in phases to enable work to continue beneath the roof, including the digging out and concreting of the venue’s two 50 metre swimming pools and 25 metre diving pool.
Work will begin this autumn on the aluminium roof covering, half of which is recycled, and early next year installation will start on the timber cladding of the 12,000 metre squared ceiling which will sweep outside to cover the northern roof supports. Red Lauro from sustainable sources has been selected as the ceiling timber that will combine the required level of durability and visual impact.
Work is well underway on the 250m and 45m wide land bridge that forms the main pedestrian entrance to the Games from the Stratford City development, spanning the Aquatics Centre and forming the roof of the training pool.
Aquatics Centre factfile
- The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre is located in the south of the Olympic Park and will be the main ‘Gateway into the Games', hosting swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo finals and the swimming discipline of the Modern Pentathlon
- The Aquatics Centre will have a capacity of 17,500 during the Games, reducing to a maximum of 2,500 in legacy, with the ability to add 1,000 for major events, and provide two 50m swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area - facilities London does not have at present
- Eleven industrial buildings have been demolished on the 55,000 m2 site.
- Around 160,000 tonnes of soil have been dug out on of what was one of the more challenging and complex areas of the Olympic Park, contaminated with pollutants including petrol, oil, tar, solvents and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead
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Four skeletons were discovered and removed from a prehistoric settlement discovered on the site of the Aquatic Centre.
- 140,000 tonnes of clean soil has been brought from other areas of the Olympic Park to prepare for construction to start.
- Balfour Beatty is building the Aquatics Centre and huge land-bridge that forms the roof of the training pool and the main pedestrian access to the Olympic Park. Construction work will be complete in 2011 for test events ahead of the Games.
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The river that runs alongside the venue has been widened by eight metre by building 550m of new river walls.
- The sweeping roof, which is 160m long and 80m at its widest point, is an innovative steel structure weighing over 3000 tonnes with a striking and robust aluminium covering, half of which is recycled, resting on three supports.
- Construction started on the foundations in July 2008. A 3,000 tonne concrete ‘bridge’ has been built spanning and protecting the tunnels which have been dug to run powerlines beneath the site. The 18.5m tall northwest roof support has been built on top of this base.
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Work is well underway on the 250m and 45m wide land bridge that forms the main ‘Gateway to the Games’ from the Stratford City development, spanning the Aquatics Centre and forming the roof of the training pool.
- Around 1,000m cubic metres of concrete has been poured to create five sets of bridge supports, steel beams have been lifted into place to form the first section of the bridge spanning railway lines and roadways. Work is now currently underway on the section of bridge that will form the training pool roof. The land bridge is on track to be complete before summer 2010. Fourteen steel beams, up to 60m long and weighing 75 tonnes each have been produced in Scunthorpe, fabricated in Bolton and lifted into place.
London 2012 Athletes Village
Structure of first Olympic Village building complete on eve of 1,000 days to go to 2012 Games
30 October 2009,
http://www.london2012.com/news/media...00-days-to.php
The first of 11 residential plots in the Olympic Village has been structurally completed, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced today.
The Olympic Village, which lies adjacent to the Olympic Park and forms part of the Stratford City development, will accommodate a total of 23,000 athletes and officials from over 200 nations during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Seventy-three per cent of athletes will be able to reach their competition venue in under 15 minutes. After the Games, the Village will deliver the legacy of 2,800 new homes for east London across 11 residential plots. Construction work began on site in summer 2008 and the first residential plot, comprising nearly 300 new homes across 7 buildings, is now structurally complete.
The construction of the first residential plot has involved 160 workers and a total of seven cranes lifting into place more than 14,500 cubic metres of concrete to form the structural elements of the seven buildings. Work is now underway on the external cladding of the buildings, allowing work on the internal fit-out of the buildings to begin next year. The external cladding panels for the building are now being lifted into place with the heaviest panels weighing up to six tonnes.
A topping-out ceremony on the first structurally complete Village buildings was carried out today by, ODA Director of Property Ralph Luck, Chief Executive of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) Paul Deighton, CEO of Lend Lease Europe Dan Labbad and Mayor of Newham Council Sir Robin Wales and directors of Triathlon Homes.
ODA Director of Property Ralph Luck: 'In 1,000 days time the world’s best athletes will have arrived at the Olympic Village, and with the structural completion of the first buildings we are on track to deliver a first-class Village to help them prepare for the world’s biggest sporting event. The Olympic Village will be one of the strongest legacies from the Games and the completion of these buildings also gives us an exciting glimpse of the quality new homes we are delivering for Londoners together with new parks, public squares and community facilities.'
Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) said: 'Sport is at the heart of the Games and therefore athletes’ needs are very important to us. We want to make sure that they are in a comfortable, relaxed and well-organised environment so that they can prepare for one of the biggest sporting moments of their lives.'
Mayor of Newham Council Sir Robin Wales said: 'We want the Games to inspire local people to lead healthier and more active and prosperous lives. The Olympics must bring long-lasting and positive changes for the residents of the borough. One of my key priorities is to ensure the local community will benefit from the venues, parklands and other facilities once the Games are over. The housing offer is crucial to this – the most successful communities are those mixed by class, ethnicity and tenure and this is what we are looking forward to seeing in the Village.'
Dan Labbad, CEO of Lend Lease Europe, the development and construction manager for the Village, said: 'We’re delighted to be revealing the first complete structures of the Village, demonstrating the substantial progress being made on site. We remain committed to delivering a world class development of high architectural quality, both as a home for athletes in 2012 and as an iconic sustainable community beyond.'
Of the new homes on the first structurally completed residential plot, 193 have already been pre-sold to Triathlon Homes, the joint venture company delivering affordable housing at the Village. They are among 1,379 affordable homes that will be offered at the Village through a variety of renting and home ownership options.
Geoff Pearce, director of Triathlon Homes, said: 'This is a real landmark in the development of nearly 1,400 affordable homes at the Olympic Village, helping to meet housing need in east London and contributing to the wider regeneration of the area. We’re very proud to be delivering a variety of affordable homes in a fantastic setting as part of this prestigious development.'
The 11 residential plots in the Olympic Village are each made up of six to eight buildings built in a rectangular layout around a traditional courtyard area. Along with the structural completion of the first residential plot, construction work is also underway on the remaining 10 residential plots. Earthworks are also underway on the site of Chobham Academy - a world-class education campus to be built within the Olympic Village with spaces for 1,800 students aged 3-19.
After 2012, the Village will leave a lasting legacy for east London including:
- 2,818 new homes in legacy including 1,379 affordable homes;
- Family housing with nearly 1,000 three and four bed homes.
- Courtyard areas with gardens, play areas and open space;
- More than 10 hectares of new parks and open space;
- New public squares, tree-lined streets, and landscaped courtyards.
- Multi-use community facilities;
- A world-class education campus, Chobham Academy, with 1,800 places for students aged 3-19.
Triathlon Homes (a joint venture company established by First Base and housing associations Southern Housing Group and East Thames Group) have purchased 1,379 of the new homes in the Olympic Village which will become available as affordable housing after 2012. The aim is to create affordable, high quality homes for local people which are intrinsic to the regeneration of the area and to ensure a successful legacy for Stratford and the wider East London community after the Games. Article source by
DarJoLe.
London 2012 Olympic Park
Picture sourced by
RobH at SSC, and taken by
Frans Zwart at flickr of an aerial of the Olympic Park.
The 'wave' of the Aquatic Centre and the bowl of the Olympic Stadium are clearly visible. The Broadcasting Centre (pretty much a large temporary warehouse) is to the left, the Velodrome is visible above the BC. To the right of the Velodrome is the Athletes' Village, and to the right of that Westfield Stratford (large shopping centre).
The line seperating the Athletes Village and Westfield Stratford is the trench that houses Stratford International station (tunnels at either end to C London and Paris). So despite losing the bid to host the 2012 Olympics, they'll be a 2hr train ride away.
Stratford Regional Station is to the right of Westfield Stratford; home to 2 Underground lines, 1 DLR line, North London Line, Great Eastern Main Line commuter and intercity services, and a line to London Stansted Airport. Come next year another DLR line will open, and in 2017, Crossrail will arrive.
The canals and rivers that wind their way through the future-Olympic Park are part of the Lower River Lea.