New Olympic Village designs unveiled as construction work races ahead

Work began in June on the permanent foundations for the first blocks of the Olympic Village. More than 300 construction workers are now on site carrying out piling works - inserting concrete columns into the soil to reinforce the ground where the first blocks of the Olympic Village will sit. Piling works have been completed on the first block of the Olympic Village, with work underway on further blocks.

A selection of leading architects are now in place for all residential plots in the Olympic Village. The latest designs published today show the residential schemes as well as the courtyard areas, pedestrian walkways and new open spaces that will be created in the Olympic Village. Planning permission has recently been secured for the first three residential schemes, with favourable comments received about the high level of architectural quality.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said:

'These new images show the good progress being made in design and construction work on the Olympic Village to help maintain the momentum of this huge project.

'The Olympic Village will be one of the strongest legacies from the Games, delivering quality new homes for Londoners, many of which will be affordable, together with new parks, public squares and community facilities. This will be a world-class development and the involvement of some of Europe’s most talented architects and landscape designers will ensure design excellence continues to play an essential role in the delivery of this project.

'Discussions on the funding of the Village are continuing and though the economic environment is challenging we expect to conclude these around the turn of the year.'

Lend Lease Europe Chief Executive Dan Labbad said:

'These new images demonstrate the progressive and diverse architecture and design integrity that we have been striving for in developing the Village, both as a home for athletes in 2012 and as an iconic sustainable community beyond. The importance of this project is also reflected in the rapid and exciting progress onsite.'

Lend Lease’s contractors have also now completed work to lift into place the first new bridge in the Olympic Village site, marking the first stage in helping to create an open and accessible area in Games-time and legacy. The 44 metre long bridge was lifted in using a 1,000 tonne crane and is the first of three new bridges to be built in total. The bridges will each span the High Meads Loop railway line to connect the new Olympic Village development with the existing housing and communities adjacent to Village site. The bridges will also carry vital services and utilities to the Olympic Village development.

The Olympic Village will accommodate athletes during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. After 2012, it will leave the legacy of new homes, many of which will be affordable, together with new parks, public squares and open space; an Academy education campus for all ages; multi-use community facilities; and new infrastructure to connect the new communities with the Olympic Park, one of the largest new urban parks in Europe for 150 years.

Notes to Editors

1. The latest Olympic Village designs and photos of construction work on the Olympic Village site can be downloaded from http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/locog?nav=pr117226717

2. Lend Lease and the Architecture Foundation last year established a shortlist of practices to compete to design elements of the Olympic Village. A number of architectural and landscape design teams have so far been retained by Lend Lease and the ODA to work on different components of the project.

Highly regarded Swiss landscape design firm Vogt Landschaftarchitekten will develop the masterplan for the Village jointly with urban designers Patel Taylor, with continued support from Fletcher Priest. The Olympic Village schemes will be designed by a variety of established and emerging designers including:

- Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

- CF Moller

- Denton Corker Marshall

- De Rijke Marsh Morgan

- DSDHA

- Glenn Howells

- Ian Simpson

- Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

- MAKE

- Niall McLaughlin

- Panter Hudspith

- Patel Taylor

- Piercy Conner

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700

The construction of the venues and infrastructure of the London 2012 Games is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.

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