Eurlng BNM Zachariades, CEng, MIED, MIET, MInstMC discusses the evolution of the Olympic Park. The Olympic stadium is the central point of any Games - the landmark that everybody will remember long after the event has finished. Inspiring, innovative and sustainable, the 2012 stadium differs from its predecessors because it will leave behind top class sporting and community facilities as part of a long-term legacy vision. The stadium will have a capacity of up to 80,000 spectators, but as soon as the Games finish, deconstruction will begin and its capacity will be reduced to 25,000. It will be the first stadium to downsize on such a large scale and the first to use temporary structures, whilst still meeting the standards for high-level performance. Only 10,000 tonnes of steel has been used, making it the lightest of any comparable structure. Previous Olympic stadia have become empty relics, a burden to the host nation's taxpayers. This time the thinking is different - the stadium that remains will be open and viable. When the Olympics are finished, it will be converted to a national athletics arena, with a sports training, science and medicine centre.
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