The temporary venue, located at the famous Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich and designed by Magma Architecture, is one of the last remaining new arenas to be built for the Games and will stage Shooting, Paralympic Shooting and Paralympic Archery across three indoor ranges and three open air ranges. It is on track to complete in December - ahead of international shooting test events next spring.
All three indoor ranges (a 25m, combined 50/10m and a finals range) are now structurally complete using around 1,200 tonnes of steel and clad in plywood, while work will shortly start on building the open air ranges at the southwest London site. Spectator seating enclosures for the 25m and combined ranges are also in place, with the finals enclosure on schedule to finish by November.
The enclosures, which are rented and can be reused after the Games, are being clad in around 18,000 sq m of phthalate-free pvc membrane that gives the structures their unique appearance. Vibrantly coloured openings that help break-up the white facades create the tension, in addition to providing natural ventilation and light.
ODA Chairman John Armitt said: “The Shooting Venue will be one of the ODA’s last sporting arenas to complete and the progress made to date is impressive given the scale of the ranges and enclosures. The innovative design contrasts excellently to the historic setting of the Royal Artillery Barracks that spectators will see as they enter the venue.”
LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: “Spectators going to see Shooting and Paralympic Archery events will get to experience the Games in a colourful and modern venue situated in a world-class location that will inspire them as much as the athletes competing next summer.”
Once completed the venue will be handed over to LOCOG for overlay works, which includes installing the seating across the ranges and constructing back-of-house facilities. Immediately after the Games, the venue will be dismantled as quickly as possible and the site returned to its original condition, after which it will be handed back to the Ministry of Defence as the landowner.
