|
contents | business | |||||||||
| Atkins and Populous to transform London’s Horse Guards Parade  Atkins, the UK's largest engineering and design consultancy, and official engineering design services provider for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Populous, the London 2012 stadium architect and official architectural and overlay design services provider for the Games, will transform the iconic Horse Guards Parade into a spectacular Olympic venue for the Beach Volleyball competition, taking full advantage of its historic and central setting.Horse Guards Parade has a long tradition of hosting celebrated events, from Henry VIII's tournaments to the annual Trooping of the Colour, so it is fitting that it is being used as a venue for Beach Volleyball during the London 2012 Games. The outdoor seating bowl with 15,000 seats will have lighting for evening competition, video and sport-specific fixtures. It has been designed as two distinct elements: a 'theatre in the round' lower bowl to provide a high energy atmosphere, and a three-sided upper bowl allowing the spectators and camera views to use the historic sites and London skyline beyond as a backdrop to the event. The proposals outlined by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) today in its planning submission to Westminster City Council are the culmination of significant work by Atkins and Populous to address the inherent challenges of creating a stadium for 15,000 people. This will provide an unparalleled experience for competitors and spectators only weeks after the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and meet the exacting standards of the Olympic Games and the London 2012 sustainability goals. Careful planning, design, engineering and attention to detail has been central to ensuring that the venue fits in well with its surroundings and is sympathetic to its context and setting. Factors that have been taken into consideration include accessibility, noise, lighting, traffic, spectator experience and of course the requirements of the competitors themselves. The solutions provided include taking the standard components available for temporary stadiums and creating the same feeling of permanency as the main Games venues. Pre-existing modular components will be hired to create a bespoke court. In keeping with both Atkins' and Populous' low carbon ethos, the venue will be dismantled following the Games, leaving no trace, and can be reassembled and used in other locations. Although temporary, the structures will still need building regulations approval and will undergo the same rigorous safety tests. write your comments about the article :: © 2010 Construction News :: home page |