Archives for November 2009

The 5,000-seat arena is the firm’s first job on the East London site and one of the last architecture contracts to be awarded by the Olympic Delivery Authority through its design services framework.

The auditorium will sit just to the north of Zaha Hadid’s Aquatic Centre (pictured) and in legacy mode will be removed and the land developed by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.David Morley, whose London-based practice narrowly missed out on winning the Olympic handball arena, said: ‘The design will be driven by a creative approach to achieving cost effectiveness and buildability. Our ambition is to showcase the best of British technical design and cost-effectively deliver a great arena for sport which can be removed afterwards and where some components can be hired and others also reused.

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The projected final cost of construction for the 2012 London Olympics has risen slightly. The British government said Monday the anticipated cost went up by seven million pounds (C$12.3 million) to 7.241 billion (C$12.713 billion) during the last quarter, an increase of less than 0.1 per cent. Among other things, the rise was due to predicted higher spending for upgrading local sports facilities for Olympic training venues and cost pressures on the Olympic Village and land and infrastructure projects.The government said no contingency funds were released to cover the increases because they are expected to be offset by savings in other areas.The overall public budget for the Olympics remains unchanged at 9.325 billion pounds (C$16.372 billion). 

New government and ODA figures show that the London 2012 Games will be delivered on time and on budget.According to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Quarterly Economic Report, the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games has seen a 7 million pound increase in the cost of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) construction program, which equates to an increase of less than 0.1 per cent.

Nothing from the 1.27 billion contingency funding has been required to cover the increase due to savings achieved elsewhere as part of ongoing construction of the 2012 Olympic Park site.Changes in the anticipated final cost of the London Summer Games reportedly include savings made on site, the potential need to improved local sports facilities as training venues, increased costs associated with vehicle screening, and potential cost pressures on Olympic Village and Stratford City infrastructure.

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The International Paralympic Committee(IPC) voted yesterday to lift a ban on ID athletes imposed after the 200 Sydney Games when the Spanish basketball team was revealed to have cheated.Mencap called on the British Government to ensure funding was available immediately so athletes were ready to compete.Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive, said: "Everyone at Mencap is delighted that after years of campaigning, athletes with a learning disability will no longer be excluded from the Paralympic Games.

However, without immediate funding, British athletes will remain excluded from London 2012 despite the ban being lifted.This would be a national embarrassment.Before the ban, ID athletes qualified for lottery funding which is available to all world-class elite athletes, but that was cut after the IPC imposed its ban.Tim Reddish, the President of ParalympicsGB, predicted that the decision will lead to a rise in standards among ID athletes.He said: "We have lobbied hard for the re-inclusion of athletes with a learning disability, subject to a robust classification system and are delighted that IPC and INAS-FID have got us to that point.

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Uganda will field women boxers in 2012 World Olympics Games due to take place in London, United Kingdom.The Secretary of Uganda Amateur Boxing Federation (UABF), Simon Barigo says Uganda has a big potential of fielding women in World Olympics.

Addressing a Press Conference in Lugogo, Kampala, Barigo said sponsors have expressed interest in funding women boxers.The Secretary of UABF says Uganda women boxers are capable of winning silver and gold medals for the country if they get sponsorship. 

BMW has been chosen as the automotive partner for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. The company will supply a huge fleet of 4,000 vehicles for the use of competitors and officials during the Games.One decisive factor in the choice of BMW appears to have been the company's recent emphasis on reducing its cars' CO2 emissions under its Efficient Dynamics programme.

Some of BMW's mid-sized cars, such as the latest version of the 320d, produce less CO2 than some other manufacturers' economy specials.In the absence of a sizeable British-owned car manufacturing group to partner a British Games, BMW is probably the next best thing. Although it left poor old Rover in the lurch back in 2000, BMW owns and continues to invest heavily in two of Britain's great automotive icons, Rolls-Royce and the Mini, and also maintains extensive manufacturing facilities in the UK. 

IT MAY BE a couple of years away, but the organisers of the 2012 London Olympics have today named BMW the event’s official automotive partner.Worth about $90 million to LOCOG, the event’s organisers, the deal will see BMW supply 4000 vehicles for the transport of athletes, officials and media during the Games.

Set to be the most environmentally friendly Olympic Games yet, BMW is expected to draw from its EfficientDynamics range, as well as the MINI Cooper D.BMW has confirmed that electric vehicles will figure among the vehicles supplied, meaning either a production version of the Mini E or the upcoming Project i electric vehicle will debut in time for the Games. Sustainability is a central pillar of our business and guides all aspects of our operations,said Ian Robertson, member of the board of management of BMW AG, responsible for sales and marketing.Therefore we have a natural affinity with London 2012 and its commitment to low carbon and healthy living. 

BMW has won the contract to provide the fleet requirements of the London 2012 Olympics thanks to its Efficient Dynamics technology. The contract will see BMW provide more than 4000 cars to the organisers of the 2012 Olypmics and Paralympic Games. The cars provided will be a mix of BMW’s line-up including Minis, BMW cars and BMW bikes. A spokesman for the Olympics team added: “A proportion of the fleet will be wheelchair-accessible and BMW will convert a number of vehicles for use by disabled drivers and passengers. The vehicles will be used to ferry athletes, technical officials, media, teams, national Olympic committees, international sports federations, the IOC and marketing partners.

Ian Robertson, member of the board of management of BMW, responsible for sales and marketing, said: “Sustainability is a central pillar of our business and guides all aspects of our operations, so we have a natural affinity with London 2012. We see our partnership as a major opportunity, over the next three years and beyond, to focus attention on our range of the most fuel efficient premium cars and also to shine a light on the future of individual mobility. This partnership will be an inspiration for our customers, employees, dealers and suppliers.

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THE London 2012 Olympics could kick off in Manchester. Despite the capital spending billions on hosting the world's biggest sporting event the M.E.N. can reveal that the first action of the games is set to take place away from London. And United's Old Trafford home has emerged as a frontrunner to host it.

The official opening of the games will take place at the new Olympic stadium in London on 27 July. But the football tournament which will include a British team for the first time since 1972 - will start two days earlier. And the M.E.N. understands that the Old Trafford stadium is on standby to host the opening match. United's home is one of five venues that will stage games. The others are Wembley, Hampden Park in Glasgow, St James' Park in Newcastle and an unnamed stadium in the Midlands. Wembley and Hampden are not expected to host matches early in the tournament.

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London, which has some of Europe’s worst air pollution, may have to ban cars and reschedule events during the 2012 Olympics to ensure optimum conditions for athletes, a leading air-quality scientist said. The U.K. capital is in a “new era” of air pollution, mostly caused by emissions from diesel-powered cars, vans and buses, said Professor Frank Kelly, director of the King’s College Environmental Research Group.

The city of 7.5 million residents has the worst record for nitrogen dioxide pollutants among European capitals and one of the worst for dangerous airborne particles. Politicians including Mayor Boris Johnson aren’t doing enough to cleanse the air, Kelly said. Beijing last year and Athens in 2004 struggled with air pollution during the games.

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