Handball Arena

Key facts

Sport: Handball, Goalball, Fencing
Capacity: 7,000
Location: In the west of the Olympic Park
New or existing?: New, permanent venue
 
The Handball Arena will feature more than 3,000 sq m of external copper cladding – mostly recycled – to give it a distinctive appearance that will develop a rich natural colour as it ages. Spectators will enter directly on to the concourse level that encircles the building. This ‘concourse’ level is glazed, which will enable visitors to the Olympic Park to view the sport taking place inside, and illuminate the venue when lit at night.
 
The venue will also have a vibrant and multi-coloured interior, with retractable seating to create a flexible space.

During the Games

The Handball Arena will host the preliminary rounds and quarter-finals of the Handball competition during the Olympic Games (the semi-finals and final will be held in the larger Basketball Arena. It will also be the venue for the Fencing discipline of the Modern Pentathlon. In the Paralympic Games it will be the venue for Goalball.
 
Behind the scenes a 13,700sq m back-of-house area will include facilities for catering, security and the media. There will also be two temporary warm-up courts – over 1,6000sq m and 10m high.
 
There will be just 48 hours to get the venue ready for the Modern Pentathlon Fencing events after the Handball competition finishes. This will include removing the Handball field of play mat, laying the ten Fencing pistes (playing areas); and installing new technology for timing and scoring and new scoreboards at each Fencing piste.
 
Getting to the Handball Arena during the Games.

After the Games

The Handball Arena will be adapted to become a multi-use sports centre for community use, athlete training and small- to medium-sized events.
 
It will be able to cater for a wide range of indoor sports, including basketball, handball, badminton, boxing, martial arts, netball, table tennis, wheelchair rugby and volleyball. It will also include a health and fitness club with changing facilities and a cafe for use by the local community.
 
Retractable seating will mean it will have a flexible capacity of up to 6,000 seats, allowing the venue to be used for activities ranging from international competition to community sports. Areas used for the media and technology during the Games will be converted to provide extra spectator facilities. The athletes’ changing rooms will be adapted to create more family-friendly and accessible changing areas.

Getting ready for 2012

2009

• Construction started

2011

• Construction due to be completed

2012

• 
  Test Events (Handball, Goalball)
• London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.