2012 Olympic Park plans revealed
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has unveiled its plans for the London 2012 Olympic Park.
Designed by LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates, the 100-hectare park, to be set on former industrial land, has been inspired by the Victorian and post-war pleasure and festival gardens.
The park will be home to the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Velopark, multi-sports arena and the Eton Manor outdoor sports complex.
It will boast lawns, footpaths and cycleways, riverbanks, and public spaces with live screens showing Olympic events.
The park will also feature a ‘mini Kew Gardens’, with more than 250 species of plant from four climactic zones; wetlands, meadows and ponds; more than700 artificial habitats such as bat and bird boxes, and numerous cafés and bars.
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell said: “London 2012 will create the largest new urban park in Europe for 150 years and we are determined to ensure that it is one of the most spectacular.
“These designs represent the very best in urban landscape and will not only make the Olympic Park a destination in itself – creating a beautiful atmosphere during the Games – but also leave a beautiful landscape for millions to enjoy for generations to come.
The chief executive of the ODA, David Higgins, said: “During the Games, the Olympic Park will creat a festival atmosphere space for spectators and provide a fantastic green backdrop for the four billion people watching around the world on TV.
“In legacy, the park will provide new green space for people and wildlife. It will also be designed to protect the area from floods, capture and clean rainwater and create vital and rare habitats for hundreds of species.”