The Venues for the 2012 London Olympics: Part 2 of 3

The venues for the 2012 London Games are too interesting, beautiful, and historic to try and cover in one blog post. This post is the second of three parts dedicated to the noteworthy venues for the 2012 Summer Olympiad.

As I mentioned in Part One of this series, Olympic venues are probably one of my favorite topics. London is offering several venues which are sure to become memorable fan favorites. Ever conscious of the importance of sustainability, the London Organizing Committee hopes that the 2012 Olympics will be the greenest in history:

‘All our venues are designed to ensure that all the athletes perform to the best of their ability whilst pushing the boundaries of sustainability knowledge and design. From the start we planned with legacy in mind. Where possible we have used existing venues….Where there is a legacy need we have built new venues…and where there is no need, we have built temporary venues….’ – Taken from the 2012 London Olympics website.

Just like the medal design, the London Olympic Committee has chosen its 2012 Olympic venues to be a blend of traditional and modern. Although I’m not a huge fan of modern architecture, the thought process behind some of these designs is inspiring and quite clever. Initially I was disappointed to learn that some of the venues were only temporary and would be dismantled following the Games. But since then, having been reminded several times of the condition of the venues in Athens, London’s approach is just plain sensible, and who can argue with this?

Royal Artillery Barracks

The Royal Artillery Barracks date back the early 1700?s. Yet one would almost not know this when seeing the ultra-modern Olympic venue constructed on the grounds. But with the actual barracks’ historical Georgian buildings serving as the backdrop, the Olympic shooting venue truly represents a blend of traditional and modern. The venue, consists of multiple temporary structures built using…PVC fabric! Those aren’t giant suction cups or speakers you see. No, those colorful spots which match the color scheme of the London Games are windows! Arcilock.com offers some spectacular images from this venue. Shooting isn’t my favorite Olympic sport, but I’d buy a ticket just to see this construction! Once the Games conclude the venue will be dismantled, but the building material will be reused elsewhere in new construction. Now that’s smart!

Basketball Arena

A giant mattress by day, and a coiled tent all aglow at night.

London’s Basketball Arena is a 100% temporary structure and one of the largest of this kind ever built. With such an original moniker, it will not only be the site for Olympic basketball, but handball too. The majority of the venue was again constructed with…PVC fabric! Although it can be mistaken for a giant mattress, at night when its lights are on, its futuristic-like glow will evoke lots of oohs and aahs. Once the Games conclude the venue will be dismantled, but the building material will be reused elsewhere in new construction. Yet again, so very smart!

Olympic Park

Olympic officials took a part of East London that was rundown and polluted, with the idea that it could be transformed into a viable tourist spot. After much work, the project is complete. An area that was once considered an eyesore is now revitalized with brand new buildings, grass, sidewalks, benches, and trees. The River Lea, which flows through the area, is now clean! After the Games conclude, the Olympic Village will be converted into apartments for Londoners, along with other planned housing construction. The permanent venues will become athletic facilities for public use; and a brand new university is to be founded here, which will focus on sport sciences, digital media, and environmental technology. Olympic Park includes these fantastic architectural gems:

Olympic Stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, track and field events, and it’s where the Olympic Cauldron will burn throughout the Games. It’s also the first part-permanent/part-temporary venue of this magnitude ever constructed! According to the London 2012 website, the upper level of the stadium features temporary seating for 55,000 people. This upper section was constructed using surplus gas pipes and will be removed following the Games, leaving a permanent venue that seats around 25,000. There’s been much drama over the future inhabitants of the stadium, with a highly competitive bidding war between football clubs Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. It’s been a drama only fitting for a stadium located in the home of “EastEnders!”

The Aquatics Centre will be one of London’s two most talked about venues. Aptly nicknamed “The Pringle,” the venue for swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming is yet another part temporary/part permanent venue. The wings on either side will be removed after the Games’ end, while the Pringle-shaped center will remain open for public use and competitive swimming.

The Aquatics Centre is by far the most ultra-modern venue in appearance, and the idea for temporary wings which can be dismantled is pure genius. While the center’s architect had ocean waves in mind, I find its sleek architectural lines reminiscent of fins. No one should feel like a fish out of water in this venue!

Saving the best for last, be sure to read Part Three for a look at the final two venues in Olympic Park!

Faster, Higher, Stronger.