London 2012 - Skybar and News

[anapplefellonmyhead]

Sorry if I'm being dumb and I missed something but...

I was trawling around the London Olympic Park Planning Application (seriously dull stuff - but hey, I was bored) and I stumbled across this PDF.

http://planning.london2012.com/uploa...11%20(770).pdf

It's just some 'visual influence' graph but it shows the location of an "Olympic Cauldron" (the red cross) outside of the Olympic Stadium. I know the idea of a seperate structure for the Olympic flame had been discussed after the stadium design was revealed, but I wasn't aware this had been confirmed? Well, I'd convinced mself we were just getting a dish plonked on top of the stadium roof, anyway.

From the looks of that visual influence map, it could be quite a tall structure which would be a nice compliment to the stadium, and would mean it could be seen across the park. In particular, it would help bring the events of the opening ceremony in the stadium outside to the real folk watching in the Olympic Park (as opposed to the corporate VIP business types that tend to populate the stadium for these events).

Perhaps we might finally some flair and a bit of a statement with a good cauldron structure outside the stadium?!

Again, apologies if I've missed an announcement or misunderstood the map or something. It seems like a good idea to me.

Edited to add:
I found this rather lengthy and dry document:
http://planning.london2012.com/uploa...nt%20(268).pdf
which says (on page 127!!!) the cauldron will be over 70m, and up to 150m tall - so quite a structure. I really hope they take the chance to create a memorable structure. Especially considering it is going to be permanent.

[DarJoLe]

It's rumoured the flame will be visible from Central London. Or at least across East London.

[huvet]

1.2.6 To ensure quality is embedded in the design process the ODA has signed up
to a series of commitments as set out in 2012 Construction Commitments:
�� ‘The design should be creative, imaginative, sustainable and capable of
meeting delivery objectives. Quality in design and construction utilising
the best of modern methods will ensure that the Olympic sites meet the
civic needs of all Stakeholders, both functionally and architecturally, for
2012 and beyond.
�� The client will produce a clear brief before design commences.
�� Designers will be selected according to ability and quality, together with
other criteria appropriate to the scale and complexity of the project.
�� Every opportunity will be taken to encourage visionary designs, including
art and sculpture, and to provide opportunities for emerging designers and
artists.
�� The design must suit the practical, functional and operational
requirements of the Games and meet both the clients’ and users’ needs
for 2012 and beyond, to ensure that whole-life value is delivered by
addressing buildability, maintainability and usability, whilst driving health
and safety throughout. Where appropriate it must also facilitate
dismantling and re-erection.
�� Project briefs will specify performance criteria to encourage innovation in
order to deliver cost effective solutions, taking advantage of opportunities
for standardization, prefabrication, off-site manufacture and adopting
modern logistics principles.
�� The design will be tested using third party design reviews and other tools
for assessing design quality.
�� IT-based collaboration tools and communication technologies will be
exploited’.


Well, they said it in their own design statement. They must have (conveniently) forgotten.

[DarJoLe]

Zaha reveals Aquatics Centre legacy mode

Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled this image of the 2012 Olympics Aquatics Centre in legacy mode.



The venue will shrink from a 17,500-capacity arena in Games mode to have a capacity of just 2,500. The ODA said it will provide 'elite sport and community facilities permanently for London'.

The BBC has reported that the wave-shaped building is likely to cost £215 million – nearly three times as much as the £75 million originally estimated.

Zaha Hadid has aleady scaled back the building – which the ODA describes as the gateway to Olympic Park – after then Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell sent her 'back to the drawing board' in 2006 because of spiralling costs.

[DarJoLe]

KCAP to shake up 2012 legacy

Dutch firm Kees Christiaanse Architects (KCAP) has been drafted in to join Allies and Morrison and partner EDAW on the Olympic Park Legacy masterplan in order to 'ask questions' of its co-designers.

Speaking to the AJ after the official announcement by the London Development Agency (LDA) of the selection of the three practices on 28 January, KCAP project leader Markus Dettling said: 'We are different to Allies and Morrison and EDAW. They have been working on the masterplan for the Olympic Park for quite a long time so we see our role as one of questioning. By doing so we will achieve, possibly, a better result'.

Allies and Morrison partner Graham Morrison welcomed the appointment and conceded that having worked for so long on the Olympic Park masterplan, 'there was a danger' the practice could become 'fixed in its approach'.

He added: 'The difference is that KCAP is prepared to take additional risks with juxtapositions of uses or even scales. I think that sort of thing comes from not being British and is slightly unfamiliar to us.

'We have worked on the Olympics from the beginning and there is a danger that you become rather fixed in your ways and it is fantastic to be challenged on some of those assumptions and I think [KCAP] will be able to do that.

'Equally we have our feet so much on the ground that should they offer things that are over the top we will be able to modify it in some way,' said Morrison.

Speaking at the official launch of the legacy masterplan, held at LDA's Palestra HQ, Gareth Blacker, director of the Olympic Legacy Development Team, said both KCAP's and Edaw and Allies and Morrison's submissions had 'stood out' from the five-strong short list, which also included Urban Practitioners, Arup and Maxwan, and Witherford Watson Mann.

As well as taking in the Olympic Park and its venues including the HOK-designed stadium and Zaha Hadid's Aquatic Centre (see image above), the masterplan will cover the complete regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley and will include the provision of 9,000 homes (including 3,300 in the Athletes' Village which is to be handed over by Lend Lease at the end of the Games).

The finished masterplan will be presented in 18 months.

[DarJoLe]

Not challenging enough: Weald Park in Essex is too straightforward for Olympic riders
2012 scraps mountain bike course
Matthew Beard, Evening Standard
31.01.08

Olympic chiefs have been ordered to scrap the proposed 2012 mountain biking venue because it is not hilly enough.

Inspectors from the International Cycling Federation (UCI) ruled out the Weald Country Park in Essex as a Games venue after a visit last week.

They told the London Organising Committee (Locog) to find an alternative because the chosen track will not challenge the best riders.

The inspectors will return to Britain in two weeks to view alternative locations but accept the venue must remain in Essex.

Mountain biking experts say that a height difference of around 300 metres from the lowest to the highest point of the course is the minimum required to test the world's best in the sport. The new venue must seat 3,000 spectators.

Epping Forest - considered during the bid - may prove problematic as an alternative because it is crisscrossed by pathways and bridle paths.

The news was broken to Locog in a meeting with the UCI's top mountain biking expert, Peter van den Abeele, and the UCI's director of sport, Olivier Queguiner.

Locog had opted for the 500-acre Weald Park in part because the lakes and tree-lined avenues would have provided a pleasing backdrop for television. The 17th century park is easily reached by the A12 and M25 with rail access from central London.

It was preferred to alternatives in the Chilterns because the International Olympic Committee said it preferred a compact 2012 Games.

Mountain biking became a professional sport in 1990 and made its Olympic debut in the 1996 Atlanta Games. A race is typically run over 40km in six laps and obstacles include trees, rocks and streams.

Locog is also coming under pressure about its choice of other 2012 venues. The British Shooting Federation last month complained about the choice of the Royal Artillery Barracks in Greenwich for shooting events. The federation wants a facility built in Dartford.

Senior British equestrian figures have also broken ranks, saying that their 2012 venue in Greenwich Park is too small. Particular concern surrounds the crosscountry event and an alternative may have to be found.

Two of the five planned temporary sports halls in the Olympic Park in Stratford may be scrapped. Instead fencing could be moved to ExCel and basketball heats to the O2 Arena.

[delores]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Zaha reveals Aquatics Centre legacy mode

Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled this image of the 2012 Olympics Aquatics Centre in legacy mode.



The venue will shrink from a 17,500-capacity arena in Games mode to have a capacity of just 2,500. The ODA said it will provide 'elite sport and community facilities permanently for London'.

The BBC has reported that the wave-shaped building is likely to cost £215 million – nearly three times as much as the £75 million originally estimated.

Zaha Hadid has aleady scaled back the building – which the ODA describes as the gateway to Olympic Park – after then Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell sent her 'back to the drawing board' in 2006 because of spiralling costs.

While I would say that in ' legacy' mode the arena looks good, why does it have to be so small? 2500 really is rather small.

[huvet]

Once again they bring out the tired old argument about paying the equivalent to the market salary. Alison Nimmo, a chartered surveyor, acting as Head of Design is earning more than double her previous salary and certainly wouldn't earn £200K in the private sector.

This really is a few people making a lot of money on a 'jobs for the boys' basis.




http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...ain/article.do

[Mo Rush]

[tonkster]

Now THAT is nice

[DarJoLe]

Originally Posted by tonkster

Now THAT is nice

And how it will look for the rest of its life...

[delores]

Shame then, when the worlds eye is on London do we have the other version which is ugly and looks like we can't afford to build a large sporting venue!! rant over.

[jerseyboi]

The Olympic Cauldron 2008

here it is>


http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/...14233146.shtml


wounder what London will do?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.2012olympichost.com

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by jerseyboi

The Olympic Cauldron 2008

here it is>


http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/...14233146.shtml


wounder what London will do?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.2012olympichost.com

i wounder to.

the image in that link is just the cauldron that gets lit in each torch relay stopover. I think the actualy cauldron at the Olympic stadium will be kept hush hush.

[DarJoLe]

Apparently it will be over 150m high or something and visible all over East London.

[Newcastle Guy]

That should be good. Until the media and public start screaming that it costs too much money, and the torch ends up being a bin fire behind the stadium

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by Newcastle Guy

That should be good. Until the media and public start screaming that it costs too much money, and the torch ends up being a bin fire behind the stadium

with wings.

[tonkster]

lol

[Jim856796]

Are two of the multi-sport arenas at the Olympic Park going to be scrapped?

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

Are two of the multi-sport arenas at the Olympic Park going to be scrapped?

no. just the temporary fencing venue.