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ODA awards crucial design contract

29 April 2008

The contract to design a key cluster of venues and facilities for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the north of the Olympic Park has been awarded by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to Stanton Williams.

Eton Manor is located within the Lee Valley Regional Park on the former site of a community sports centre, but has remained disused since 2001. The site will be transformed to provide a range of sporting facilities in the north of the Olympic Park adapted to accommodate different uses across Olympic, Paralympic and Legacy modes.

The Eton Manor site will also include a mixture of both temporary and permanent buildings to meet the ODA’s commitments to sustainable design.

Stanton Williams submitted proposals covering these phases during and after the 2012 Games:

Olympic Mode: the site will provide temporary facilities for Gymnastics and Aquatics athlete training;

Paralympic Mode: the site will host the Paralympic Archery and Wheelchair Tennis events programme. The site will include a Paralympic Archery field of play with temporary seating for 3,000 spectators, and 9 competition tennis courts with temporary seating for 10,500 spectators;

Legacy Mode: the site will provide a high standard flexible sporting legacy including a Hockey centre, tennis facilities and other multi-purpose sports facilities.

As well as the new sporting facilities, the ODA will also be building two new land bridges to better connect Eton Manor with the surrounding area.

John Armitt, Chairman of the ODA said: 'Stanton Williams were awarded the contract on the basis of an excellent track record in delivering first class design projects in an innovative and sustainable way with a sound proposal for legacy mode.

'The Eton Manor site is steeped in sporting history and we want to recapture this and regenerate the area with well designed, world-class facilities fit for the Olympic and Paralympic stage. The ODA is looking forward to taking this very exciting project to the next level.'

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'Eton Manor in the north of the Olympic Park will provide key facilities and venues for Olympic and Paralympics athletes at Games time and also leave a legacy of the best sports facilities for Londoners to use and enjoy well beyond 2012.'

Paul Williams, Director of Stanton Williams said: 'Stanton Williams is very excited about having won this prestigious contract to create Olympic and Paralympic venues on the Eton Manor site.

'Our guiding principle of putting people’s experience of space, light and materials at the core of each design results in a rational and holistic approach to building and urban design. We are looking forward to working on this wonderful project with the ODA.'

Vivien Blacker, Director of Leisure and Environment for Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: 'The Authority is delighted by the appointment of the Stanton Williams team to and we look forward to working with them to ensure the delivery of a high quality sports facility providing lasting legacy benefits for the region.'

Notes to Editors

1. The design contract for the Eton Manor venues and facilities was put out to tender in August and a seven-strong shortlist of teams was selected in November 2007 and included:
  • Adjaye Associates Ltd
  • Bennetts Associates Architects
  • David Morley Architects
  • Opus International Consultants
  • S&P Ltd
  • Sport Concepts
  • Stanton Williams
2. Stanton Williams was established in 1985. It is now a 50-strong team of skilled staff led by five directors and four associates, and has delivered an exceptional body of work in a number of fields. This includes urban design and masterplanning, galleries, museums and theatres, education, retail, residential, research, commercial, and introducing contemporary design to historic and listed buildings.

3. Stanton Williams has won over 48 awards, including national, international and specialist heritage awards, and is currently working on major projects including the new campus for the University of the Arts London at King’s Cross, new public space and structures at Saint Giles’ Circus in London, the new Sainsbury Research Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, and an extension to the Botanical Gardens in Padua, Italy.

4. For more information on the ODA please contact the ODA press office on 0203 2012 669.

– Ends –

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