Deadlines don’t come much harder than this. The job? Transform a neglected industrial area in East London into a massive world-class sports complex—the platform for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Planning, procurement, design, and construction must all be accomplished within the space of just a few years.
Although events are scheduled to be held at venues all across the United Kingdom, the heart of the 2012 Games is the vast Olympic Park complex in East London along the River Lea.
The Olympic Delivery Authority’s £8.1 billion (more than U.S. $15 billion) program for the Olympic Park is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure and regeneration efforts. It includes construction of an 80,000-seat stadium, an aquatics center, a velopark for cycling events, an Olympic Village for athletes, and related transportation and infrastructure improvements.
To deliver a program of this magnitude and complexity, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) selected CLM Delivery Partner, a consortium of CH2M HILL and two British firms, Laing O’Rourke and Mace. The members of CLM have experience on seven Olympic Games and a track record for success both in large-scale international program management and in the growing sport market.
In 2007, CLM began working closely with the ODA to oversee all facility and infrastructure development for the London Games. In just 14 months, they completed initial planning and platform work for the Olympic Park. Large-scale construction began in summer 2008.
The facilities designed and constructed for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a lasting legacy for the people of London well beyond the Games themselves.
From the earliest planning stages, the post-Games revitalization of the Lower Lea Valley has been a top priority for Games organizers. The ODA has been actively coordinating legacy development efforts with numerous municipal agencies.
When the Games conclude in September 2012, all land and facilities will be transformed for legacy use. The Olympic Park will become one of Europe’s largest urban parks, and the Olympic Village will be converted to 3,000 homes for Londoners.