Work Begins On 2012 Olympic Pool

Work Begins On 2012 Olympic Pool

Published on 26-06-2008 by Skyscrapernews.com
As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games prepare to get underway, work is beginning on the first of the facilities, the London Aquatics Centre, on the 2012 site in London.

Curving femininely, the design is from Zaha Hadid Architects and has gradually increased in cost whilst falling in size. Originally costed at £75 million, the budget has swollen to £242 million whilst The roof area has shrunk from 3,251 square metres to 1,040 square metres.

Incredibly, the British government which is the main backer of the entire Olympic park is insisting on charging Value Added Tax onto the costs of everything which immediately increases price by 17.5% meaning that even if every project were perfectly managed, value engineering would still be needed.

During the games the Aquatic Centre will be extended where the large glazed areas will be after the event is over creating extended stands of temporary seating. These will project from the middle of the building like two huge wings creating a cruciform shape that looks unwieldy and heavy when compared to the lightly dancing shapes of the permanent structure.

This will create 11,400 square metres of space translating into 15,000 seats for spectators.

Ply sheet concrete shuttering will make up the bulk of the walls with large sections of recessed glazing standing behind like a face sheltered by the peak of a cap. The tongue shaped roof will be clad in seamed aluminium, the lines providing textures as they undulate with the curves. Wrapped around the discretely concealed plant walls will be anodized aluminium.

The interiors around the two pools will feature a variety of shades of polished concrete, and varying textures of fair-faced concrete too. Of particular note is the coffered concrete ceiling with cube shaped voids for lighting with softened corners.

As well as being over budget, it is also two years behind schedule already so contractor Balfour Beatty has to finish the entire scheme now for 2011 rather than 2009. Just as long as it's done before 2012...

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