The 2012 London Olympic bid team has unveiled its vision of a purpose-built Olympic park on the Lea Valley in north-east London.
It would accommodate the Olympic stadium, an aquatics centre, a velodrome, three sports halls, a hockey centre and a media village, making it the biggest park of its kind in Europe.
The centrepiece would be a spectacular main stadium designed by a team from Foreign Office Architects, led by Spaniard Alejandro Zaero-Pollo.
The design for the stadium was apparently inspired by the human form. This is most apparent in the striking roof concept, which is said to wrap itself around the stadium like muscles supporting the human body.
Bid chairman Lord Coe said: “Our futuristic stadium will provide the best natural conditions for the world’s athletes. There is no doubt world records will be set.”
The Olympic park has been masterplanned by the architectural practice EDAW and designed to meet the criteria of the International Olympic Committee.
These include security, care of athletes, public transport, and urban legacy. Zaero-Pollo said the park would be different from existing Olympic complexes.
He said: “We are not creating another Olympic village that is just a series of nice, white, modern buildings on flat land. We are creating something that will grow out of the specific conditions and form of the Lea Valley, making it unique.” The stadium and park are close to nine existing rail lines, and seven minutes from the city centre.
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