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Aquatics Centre (London)
Encyclopedia
The London Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility with two 50 metre swimming pools and a 25 metre diving pool, which will be one of the main venues of the London 2012 Summer Olympics
and the London 2012 Summer Paralympics
.
winning architect Zaha Hadid
in 2004 before London won the bid. The centre is located in the Olympic Park
at Stratford
in east London
. With its distinctive architecture and curved roof, it will be the first venue visitors see upon entering the Olympic Park.
The design software used was Oasys, the software division of Arup. The drainage design software used was from Micro Drainage. The Project Architect was Jim Heverin. The site is 45 metres high, 160 metres long, and 80 metres wide.
in April 2008. At the same time it was reported that the centre would cost about three times as was originally estimated, totalling about £242m. The cost increases were attributed to construction inflation and VAT increases, and also included the estimated cost of converting the facility for public use after the Olympics and Paralympics. The roof is stated to be 11200 square feet (1,040.5 m²), a reduction from the previously stated 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²).
Despite the cost increases, the centre should stay within the total construction budget for the event, which is an estimated £6.09bn.
Construction started in July 2008 and was completed in July 2011.
The aluminium roof covering has been provided by Kalzip. The steel structure was built in cooperation with Rowecord Engineering. The ceiling was built with 30,000 sections of Red Lauro timber.
The six-board dive tower is made from 462 tonnes of concrete. The steel roof weighs 3,200 tonnes. The three pools hold around 10 million litres of water.
, diving
, and synchronised swimming, and for the Paralympic event of swimming
.
in South London as London's leading facility for aquatic sports.
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and the London 2012 Summer Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
.
Design
It was designed by Pritzker PrizePritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
winning architect Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
in 2004 before London won the bid. The centre is located in the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
at Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
in east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. With its distinctive architecture and curved roof, it will be the first venue visitors see upon entering the Olympic Park.
The design software used was Oasys, the software division of Arup. The drainage design software used was from Micro Drainage. The Project Architect was Jim Heverin. The site is 45 metres high, 160 metres long, and 80 metres wide.
Construction
The Aquatics Centre contract was awarded to Balfour BeattyBalfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
in April 2008. At the same time it was reported that the centre would cost about three times as was originally estimated, totalling about £242m. The cost increases were attributed to construction inflation and VAT increases, and also included the estimated cost of converting the facility for public use after the Olympics and Paralympics. The roof is stated to be 11200 square feet (1,040.5 m²), a reduction from the previously stated 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²).
Despite the cost increases, the centre should stay within the total construction budget for the event, which is an estimated £6.09bn.
Construction started in July 2008 and was completed in July 2011.
The aluminium roof covering has been provided by Kalzip. The steel structure was built in cooperation with Rowecord Engineering. The ceiling was built with 30,000 sections of Red Lauro timber.
The six-board dive tower is made from 462 tonnes of concrete. The steel roof weighs 3,200 tonnes. The three pools hold around 10 million litres of water.
Site
The centre will be used for the Olympic event of swimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, diving
Diving at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Diving at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London is scheduled to take place from Sunday 29 July to Saturday 11 August 2012.136 athletes will compete in 3 metre springboard, synchronized 3 metre springboard, 10 metre platform, and synchronized 10 metre platform.- Qualifying system:For individual diving...
, and synchronised swimming, and for the Paralympic event of swimming
Swimming at the Summer Paralympics
Swimming has been contested at every Summer Paralympics. At the first games, the 1960 Paralympics, 62 swimming events were held in distances of 25 and 50 metres, plus a 3×50 metre relay for men. Since then, swimming at the Paralympics has grown to 140 events covering distances from 50 to 400...
.
Capacity
During the Games it will have a capacity of 17,500, which will be reduced to 2,500 after the Games.Legacy
It is expected that the centre will leave a legacy of replacing the pools at the Crystal Palace National Sports CentreCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
in South London as London's leading facility for aquatic sports.