2012 London Olympics
– VeloPark
Hopkins Architects win, Jul 2007
6,000 seater cycling venue for the 2012 Olympics
with : Expedition Engineering, BDSP and Grant Associates
8 Sep 2008
Olympic hero Chris Hoy unveils latest plans for London 2012 VeloPark
- VeloPark plans promise world-class cycling legacy for London
Triple Beijing gold medal-winning Olympic hero Chris Hoy unveiled plans
for new world-class cycling facilities in London for cyclists of all ages
and abilities today as the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) released the
latest designs for the London 2012 VeloPark.
The VeloPark, to be based in the north of the Olympic Park, will include
a 6,000 seat Velodrome to host the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic
indoor track cycling events as well as a BMX circuit for Olympic events.
After the Games, a road cycle circuit and mountain bike course will be
added to create a legacy VeloPark that will combine cycling facilities
across all disciplines in one cycling 'hub'. The VeloPark will be linked
into cycle routes across London, connecting the whole of the capital with
the new world-class cycling facilities.
Chris Hoy, together with Mayor of London Boris Johnson, LOCOG Chairman
Seb Coe, ODA Chief Executive David Higgins and Lee Valley Regional Park
Authority Chief Executive Shaun Dawson visited the Olympic Park site today
to unveil the latest VeloPark plans. The designs include:
- A 6,000 seat Velodrome - to host the Olympic and Paralympic indoor track
cycling events in 2012, and be used by elite athletes and the local community
after the Games. The legacy Velodrome will include a café and other
facilities and the venue design includes a 360 degree concourse level
offering fantastic views over the Olympic Park, and out to the London
skyline
- BMX circuit - to host Olympic events in 2012 and then be reconfigured
for use by cyclists of all levels of ability after the Games
- Road cycle circuit - built after the Games, offering cyclists a one-mile
circuit
- Mountain bike course - created after the Games, offering around a 6km
course with a range of mountain bike trails for riders of various abilities
Chris Hoy (above), the first Briton in 100 years to win three gold medals
at the same Olympic Games, said:
"Winning gold in Beijing was an unbelievable experience so it's great
to come to London to visit the site where I hope Team GB will win lots
more gold medals in 2012. Becoming Olympic champion simply wouldn't have
been possible without the local cycling facilities I used when I was growing
up so I'm delighted to help launch the designs of the London 2012 VeloPark
which will provide first-class facilities for cyclists of all ages and
abilities.
"I have been hugely impressed with the VeloPark designs which I'm
sure will help deliver some world-class performances from athletes in
2012 and inspire a whole new generation of cycling champions for many
years after the Games."
David Higgins, Chief Executive of the ODA said:
"The tremendous success of British cyclists in Beijing underlines
the importance of delivering a world-class stage for elite athletes in
2012, but we are planning for Games-time and legacy together and our VeloPark
plans are also looking ahead to a new generation of cyclists.
"As the latest designs show, the VeloPark will be one of the biggest
legacies of the 2012 Games, delivering world-class facilities for cyclists
of all ages and abilities to use for years to come. The Velodrome is another
striking piece of architecture for the Olympic Park and together with
the wider cycling facilities to be built after the Games, this will be
a landmark new venue for London."
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee, said:
"The tremendous success of our cyclists was at the forefront of Team
GB's achievements in Beijing so I am delighted to unveil the plans for
the venue where I hope our cyclists will continue to strike gold in 2012.
Our VeloPark plans are driven by legacy and these facilities are not only
for our record-breaking cyclists to use in 2012, but to bring a new generation
of cyclists into the sport for years to come and develop the Chris Hoy,
Rebecca Romero and Shanaze Reade of the future."
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said:
"Having just had a taste of outstanding sporting architecture at
this year's Olympic Games in Beijing, it is exciting to see the latest
plans for our own VeloPark. The designs meet the challenging brief to
provide not only a first-class Games time venue but also a springboard
in legacy for future British Olympians and will make a valuable contribution
to increasing sports participation from grassroots to elite level."
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:
"The VeloPark is going to be an outstanding iconic landmark that
will be admired around the world and I can't wait to see the finished
structure packed to the rafters cheering on Team GB cyclists as once again
they go for gold in 2012. It will also provide an excellent legacy of
facilities for every type of cyclist from across the south of England
and be able to compete to stage major cycling competitions and events
in the years to come."
Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA)
which will own and operate the VeloPark in legacy, said: "When the
Games are over the Velodrome will open to the public and the Lee Valley
Regional Park Authority will start work to complete the VeloPark which
will include a reconfigured BMX course, a new one mile road circuit and
mountain bike trails.
"The Olympic VeloPark will attract cyclists from all disciplines
and become a cycling hub for London and the region. It will be a place
where schoolchildren, clubs, groups and elite riders can train, race or
just simply cycle for fun. The LVRPA will operate the VeloPark in legacy
which will be part of its commitment to a zone of sporting excellence
which will stretch from the White Water Canoe and Slalom Course in Broxbourne
down to the Thames."
Jennie Price, Chief Executive of Sport England said: "Sport England
takes very seriously its key, lead role in developing Olympic legacy for
the community. The VeloPark is the first of several important Sport England
investments to help achieve our objective of creating sporting opportunities
for every community."
Peter King, Chief Executive of British Cycling said: "British Cycling
is pleased to see such high quality facilities being built for London
2012. The VeloPark will provide a first class facility both for the Games
and to encourage community and competition participation in cycling -
and of course it brings a much needed indoor velodrome to the region.
"British Cycling has worked closely with everyone involved to ensure
the best possible solution was found for this site, in combination with
the recently-opened centre at Redbridge. These are exactly the sort of
facilities we need to allow the sport of cycling to grow and help to continue
the recent success achieved by the GB Cycling Team in Beijing."
Michael Humphreys chair of the Eastway Users Group said:
"We started before the Athens Games to secure a Velopark for our
sport. A London 2012 bid document quoted my son Hugo saying he wanted
to compete in London's Games and have somewhere to train for them too.
Goals like that obliged the Games to improve sporting chances, especially
for the young athletes whose facility is now part of this vast construction
site. To see the relocation facility that's just opened in Redbridge,
and when the Velopark plans we have agreed are opened after the Games,
there will be more riders like Hugo coming through. That's going to be
a real gain for all of London and for Great Britain's medal hopes - whoever's
winning them for us in 2012 or later."
The design team for the VeloPark is made up of Hopkins Architects, Expedition
Engineering, BDSP and Grant Associates, who were appointed last year following
a design competition judged by leading names from the world of architecture
and design as well as Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy. The VeloPark designs
unveiled today have been developed by the design team following extensive
consultation with British Cycling and local cycling user groups.
Mike Taylor, a Director of Hopkins Architects said: "We are delighted
to unveil our design for the VeloPark at this very exciting time for British
cycling following our team's outstanding success in Beijing. We hope the
venue and facilities we are creating will generate even more excitement
in 2012 and then continue to be an inspiration for future generations
of cyclists.
"Our vision for the VeloPark has always been to create a place where
both beginners and elite athletes will be equally at home. The form of
the Velodrome has been designed to express the drama and elegance of the
track geometry and we hope it will become one of the defining images of
the Olympic Park not to mention a place where World Records will be broken.
After 2012 it will continue to attract international competition and when
all the outdoor circuits are complete the VeloPark will become an exciting
hub for all forms of cycling in London."
A planning application for the VeloPark will be submitted later this month
with construction work due to start on site in early 2009. The contract
to build the Velodrome was awarded to ISG in May this year. ISG has an
impressive sporting pedigree and were also responsible for replacing the
track at the Manchester Velodrome which led to the British team securing
nine gold medals at the World Cycling Championships earlier this year.
Steve Trotter, ISG Managing Director, said:
"The design team has put together a spectacular plan for the Velodrome
that will provide outstanding facilities for both elite cyclists and the
local community long after 2012. It is hugely exciting to be involved
in building a Velodrome of this scale and we hope the success of the British
Cycling Team in Beijing can be repeated on the London 2012 track."
The launch of the latest plans for the London 2012 VeloPark follows the
opening of the Redbridge Cycling Centre last month. The state-of-the-art
£4.5m centre was built by the London Development Agency (LDA) for
community and competition use to replace the former Eastway Cycle Circuit
which made way for the site of the London 2012 VeloPark. The Redbridge
Cycle Circuit includes a 2km cycling circuit and off-road trail and after
2012 it will be joined by the Olympic Park VeloPark to offer Londoners
two of the best cycling facilities in the country.
The VeloPark design team are made up of:
- Hopkins Architects, whose previous projects include the Mound Stand
at Lords, Glyndebourne Opera House and the National Tennis Centre for
the Lawn Tennis Association
- Expedition Engineering, whose projects include Greenwich Wharf, Barcelona
Bullring redevelopment, Stockton and Chiswick footbridges
- BDSP, an environmental consultants whose previous projects include the
National Assembly for Wales, 30 St. Mary's Axe and Mossbourne City Academy
- Grant Associates, landscape architects and masterplanners who have worked
on the New Islington and Manchester Middlehaven Regeneration projects,
and are currently designing a Botanic Garden for the National Parks Board
of Singapore.
VeloPark Location: Olympic Park, Stratford, east London, UK
2007-11
London VeloPark - PR Jul 2007 from Olympic Delivery Authority
Lasting cycling legacy at heart of VeloPark designs
London VeloPark image from Olympic Delivery Authority
Plans for world-class venues for the 2012 Games and legacy took another
significant step forward today with the announcement of the team that
will design the VeloPark, one of the ‘Big 4’ venues in the Olympic
Park.
The VeloPark to be based in the north of the Olympic Park, will include
a 6,000 seat Velodrome to host the Olympic and Paralympic indoor track
cycling events as well as a BMX circuit for Olympic events.
After the Games, the BMX circuit will be repositioned next to the Velodrome
with a road cycle circuit and mountain bike course added to create a legacy
VeloPark that will combine cycling facilities across all disciplines in
one cycling ‘hub’, linked into cycle routes across London.
The design competition was judged by leading names from the world of architecture
and design as well as Olympic Gold medal-winning cyclist Chris Hoy.
The winning design consortium is made up of:
·1 Hopkins Architects
·2 Expedition Engineering
·3 BDSP
·4 Grant Associates
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) also released very early concept
images to demonstrate the design team’s vision behind the winning
bid. More detailed work will now be carried out with the ODA over the
coming months.
London VeloPark image from Olympic Delivery Authority
David Higgins, Chief Executive of the ODA said:
“The winning team impressed the design jury with their understanding
of the need to plan Games and legacy together. Their vision supported
our desire for a Velodrome that sits within a comprehensive VeloPark with
a wide range of cycling facilities for people of all abilities –
beginner to elite.
“Between them the design team have a strong track record in designing
innovative and creative projects. I am confident that they can help create
both a world-class stage for the best athletes in the world and leave
a lasting legacy for cyclists of all ages and abilities for many years
to come.”
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee, said:
“I am delighted to be announcing the design team for one of the key
venues in the Olympic Park. This is on the back of a fantastic weekend
for cycling in this country with the staging of the Tour de France.
This showed how London is the world capital of sport and our capacity
to stage world sporting events. It also showed the passion of Londoners
for world class sport and the enthusiasm for cycling in the capital and
throughout the UK.
“The VeloPark will contain brand new, state of the art facilities
for road cycling, bmx, and mountain biking, be a great venue for the Games
and leave a permanent cycling legacy in the capital.”
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said:
“I am delighted with the appointment of this experienced team who
have an impressive track record. I am sure they will produce not
only a world class venue for the Games, but also a lasting legacy
for a training and competition centre for cycling and a venue that will
be equally inviting to the local community.
“Good design is not an optional extra: it is fundamental to everything
we build for the Games and I am determined to ensure that it is embedded
in every project from inception to completion.”
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said:
“Cycling has never been so popular in the capital and after last
weekend, when millions packed into London's streets to watch the spectacle
of the Tour de France, we can be assured that the VeloPark will be a magnet
for spectators both during the 2012 Games and long after.
“We look forward to seeing a world class VeloPark which will host
major competitions that both inspire our future cycling champions and
attract many more people to take up and enjoy the pleasure and benefits
of cycling.”
Chris Hoy, Olympic cycling champion and member of the Design Jury, said:
“Having competed in cycling venues around the globe, I understand
the importance of world-class design in Olympic venues so I was delighted
to be involved in judging the VeloPark design entrants.
“I was hugely impressed by the winning team’s ideas, not only
because they recognised and understood the needs of elite athletes but
also because of their exciting visions for the venue and the legacy thereafter
which will help inspire a new generation of cycling champions.”
Mike Taylor, a Director of Hopkins Architects said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been selected to design
the VeloPark. The design competition was a great team effort, against
formidable opposition.
“We are particularly honored because the scale and prominence
of the Velodrome will make it a defining image of the Olympic Park and
a place where we hope world records will be broken. Our vision
for the project is one where both beginners and elite athletes will be
equally at home and where everyone will be encouraged to participate and
excel.”
Jennie Price, Chief Executive of Sport England said:
“The huge crowds watching the Tour de France in London show that
there is a real appetite for cycling in this country. At Sport England,
we want to build on this enthusiasm by turning spectators into participants
so today’s announcement on the Velodrome is very welcome.
“We are delighted to be working with the appointed design team and
the ODA to deliver an Olympic venue we can be proud of. We also need to
make sure the Velodrome is used after 2012 to get local communities involved
in cycling.”
Peter King, Chief Executive, British Cycling said:
"I was impressed by the range, vision and quality of the tenders
submitted and particularly impressed with the understanding that the winning
team had developed of the challenges to be faced in addressing the issues
of legacy. Their concept for the Velodrome is outstanding and looks
entirely practical, both in Olympic mode and as the heart of the legacy
VeloPark.
“We are ready to start work with the team on the details of
the Velodrome and the BMX tracks for the Olympics and on the plans to
create other world-class legacy facilities in the Olympic Park for cycling
user groups and the local community to use.
“These are exciting times for cycling and we look forward to being
an active part of the process to ensure both the very best Olympic facilities
for our sport and a full legacy for all aspects of cycling in
this unique inner city setting."
Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive for the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
said:
“This team demonstrated the best understanding of the operational
needs of the facility as well as inspiring design techniques. This
is a winning formula which will create what will be a world class cycling
facility that will hopefully help us hit gold in 2012 and in legacy inspire
a new generation of cyclists of all ages and abilities.”
There will now be around 10 months for the outline design phase followed
by nine
months of detailed design development, before construction work starts
in the spring of 2009.
The VeloPark will be completed in time for test events to take place in
the
summer of 2011. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will own and operate
the
VeloPark in legacy.
In addition to the facilities that will remain in the VeloPark beyond
2012, the London Development Agency (LDA) are investing £5m in a
new permanent road cycle circuit and mountain bike course at Hog Hill,
Redbridge and will be funding the facility up to the completion of the
legacy VeloPark. Work is underway to identify an operator of Hog
Hill beyond 2012.
London Olympic VeloPark : Olympic Delivery Authority PR 120707
London
Velopark : Hopkins Architects
London VeloPark - competition
The design team competition was launched in February and received more
than 100 expressions of interest from companies of all sizes and backgrounds.
The bids were narrowed down into a shortlist of 8 teams who were asked
to respond to a design brief and put forward concept designs for the VeloPark
in both Games time and legacy. The shortlisted teams were:
- David Chipperfield
- David Morley Architects
- Dominique Perrault Architects
- FLACQ
- Faulkner Browns with Heatherwick Studio
- Foreign Office Architects
- Hopkins Architects with Sanda Douma Associates
- Wilkinson Eyre
London VeloPark - Design Jury
The Design Jury members were:
- David Higgins – CEO ODA,
- Sir Nicholas Serota – ODA Board Member
- Chris Hoy – Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist
- Ricky Burdett – ODA Principal Design Advisor
- Derek Wilson – LOCOG
- Sunand Prasad – President Elect of RIBA
- Kathryn Moore – Past President of the Landscape Institute
- Shaun Dawson – CEO LVRPA
London VeloPark - Architect
Hopkins Architects (formerly Michael Hopkins & Partners) practice
are a leading innovator in modern architecture with previous projects
including the Mound Stand at Lords, Glyndebourne Opera House and the National
Tennis Centre for the Lawn Tennis Association. For the VeloPark they are
joined by the cycling design advisor, Sander Douma.
Expedition Engineering's projects include Greenwich Wharf, Barcelona Bullring
redevelopment, Stockton and Chiswick footbridges.
BDSP Partnership are environmental consultants whose previous projects
include the National Assembly for Wales, 30 St. Mary’s Axe and Mossbourne
City Academy.
Grant Associates are landscape architects and masterplanners who
have worked on the New Islington and Manchester Middlehaven Regeneration
projects, and are currently designing an extensive modern Botanic
Garden for the National Parks Board of Singapore.
The wider team also include project and cost management consultants, Faithful
& Gould, communication design consultants, AIG and public engagement
consultants, General Public Agency.
London VeloPark - contractor
The ODA began the search for a contractor to build the Velodrome in May
which is expected be announced early next year. The winning contractor
will then join the winning design team to develop detailed designs. A
separate contract notice will follow at a later date to build a temporary
BMX circuit in the Olympic Park to host Olympic BMX events.
London Olympic VeloPark : Olympic Delivery Authority Info 120707
More London Olympics building news online soon
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London Velopark
: 2012 Olympics page
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London Velopark - page :
adrian welch / isabelle lomholt