The inside of the Handball Arena showing the light pipes in the ceiling and and more than half the seating in placeThe venue, which is on track to complete in the spring, has been wrapped in 3,000 square metres of copper with a high recycled content.
Latest pictures of the venue also highlight the progress made on the sprung wooden court surface, while a new webcam inside the Arena gives regular updates on how the venue is taking shape.
The remaining 3,000 retractable lower tier seats will be installed once the court is completed next month.
The Arena was designed and built with sustainability as a priority. The rooftop light pipes provide greater illumination than similar sized conventional lights, achieving annual energy savings of up to 40 per cent.
Water usage is also saved by 40 per cent through a rain harvesting system that feeds into toilets and other non-potable systems.
Olympic Delivery Authority Chairman John Armitt said: ‘The Handball Arena is one of the most compact on the Olympic Park, with legacy and sustainability very much integrated into the design process.
‘Progress is moving ahead at an impressive rate, with over half of the seats already in place and work underway on installing the sprung wooden floor.’
Olympic sports to be hosted at the Arena include Men’s and Women’s preliminary stages and the Women’s quarter finals for the Handball competition, and the Fencing discipline of the Modern Pentathlon. During the Paralympics, the Arena will host Goalball.
After the Games, the Arena will be used as a flexible space capable of seating up to 7,500 spectators for a wide variety of events, from international competition to community sports, such as basketball, handball, badminton and boxing. A health and fitness club with changing facilities and a café for local community use are also planned.
View the Handball Arena webcam
