Handball Arena gets go-ahead from planning committee
The London 2012 Handball Arena, that will become a new multi-sports facility in legacy, is on track for construction to start this summer following a meeting Tuesday where the ODA Planning Committee resolved to approve the planning application. The plans were perused following detailed public consultation and the recommendation will now go to the Greater London Authority (GLA) for approval before permission for the applications is granted.
Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said:
“This takes us a step closer towards a simple, sustainable and flexible Handball Arena that works for Games and legacy. Construction is on track to start this summer on the Arena which will provide a great experience for competitors and spectators during the Games and offer a new facility for local people to enjoy a range of sports in legacy.”
The Handball Arena will be in the west of the Olympic Park, to the south of the Hockey Centre, within four minutes of the Olympic Village. It will have up to 7,000 seats during the Games, hosting the Handball preliminaries and quarter finals as well as the Modern Pentathlon discipline of Fencing. It will also be the Goalball venue during the Paralympic Games.
In legacy mode after the Games, the Arena will become a multi-sports venue with retractable seating for 6,000 spectators and flexible facilities to hold a range of training and competition events of all levels. It will cater for a wide-range of indoor sports including Basketball, Handball, Badminton, Netball and Volleyball boosting the sporting facilities provided across the Olympic Park.
The Handball Arena, designed by Make Architects with PTW and Arup, features external copper cladding to give it a distinctive appearance that will develop a rich natural colour as it ages. The concourse level features glazing which encircles the building, enabling visitors to the Olympic Park to view sport taking place inside, and illuminating the venue when lit at night. The venue also has a vibrant and multi-coloured interior, with retractable seating to create a flexible space and with 100 light pipes in the ceiling to allow natural light into the venue.
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