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London 2012; Video: How London laid the groundwork for sustainable sporting architecture (CNBC on YouTube)

Governments hosting high-profile sporting events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup are repeatedly criticized for building massive, unsustainable venues, often abandoned in the years after the big event. In 2012, London aimed to change that narrative, praised at the time by climate activists for paving the way for sustainable architecture. Nearly a decade later, how are these venues being used and repurposed? What can other host countries learn from 2012? CNBC’s Tom Chitty reports from London.

Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.

 

Source: CNBC International on YouTube

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London 2012: BBC Radio 4 – The Reunion: The Bid for London 2012

The Bid for London 2012

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games held in London in 2012 are widely regarded as one of the most successful of modern times. They regenerated a largely wasteland area in East London and inspired a generation into sport.

On the track, Team GB’s sporting performance was the best this country had produced at an Olympics since 1908, and there was an equal emphasis on the Paralympics too, with over 4,000 athletes from 164 countries competing in front of packed crowds.

However, the initial resistance and negative reception to the bid when it began in 2003, was a world away from the euphoria and patriotism that London 2012 would inspire. By the time London had decided to bid, the UK hadn’t tried to host the Olympics for a decade. There had been three previous failed British bids, by Birmingham and Manchester, and many years of cynicism by those who felt that hosting an Olympics was nothing more than an elaborate and expensive exercise in national ego boosting.

Encompassing resignations, a TV investigation that nearly scuttled the team’s hopes, and a dramatic final push involving Prime Ministers and global superstars, the story of the bid for London 2012 contains almost as much drama as the Games themselves.

Kirsty Wark is joined by core members of the bid team:

Barbara Cassani was the first Chair of the bid and Sir Keith Mills was its Chief Executive.

Jonathan Edwards and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson sat on the Athletes Advisory Board.

Richard Caborn was the Minister for Sport and Sir Craig Reedie was a member of the International Olympic Committee

Lord Sebastian Coe became Bid Chair in its second stage.

Producer: Steve Hankey
Presenter: Kirsty Wark
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

 

Source / Listen Now

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London 2012; 15 years ago today, London was elected as host city for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

 

 

Read more: London 2012 Candidate File

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London 2012; Timelapse: Installation of the Carpenters Land Bridge

 

Carpenters Land Bridge connecting East Bank to International Quarter London was installed on Christmas Day – a brand new pedestrian and cycle bridge on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Installation of the 66 metre-long, 7.2 metre-wide and 350-ton steel Carpenters Land Bridge began at 3.30am on Christmas morning and was completed by 3.30pm that afternoon.

The bridge is a key part of the infrastructure for East Bank, the new £1.1 billion culture and education district being created on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The new connection will link museums, theatres, music studios and UAL’s London College of Fashion with the new business district at International Quarter London.

GRAHAM’s team took advantage of the rail network Christmas shutdown to rotate the bridge into position and minimise disruption to three Network Rail lines, two DLR lines and Carpenters Road.

The bridge was manoeuvred into place using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) rather than a traditional crane to reduce the risk of cancellation caused by potential high winds.  

The bridge deck was transported on the SPMTs along Carpenters Road in a jacked-up position circa 8-9 metres above ground level. It was supported on the SPMTs in a cantilever arrangement with a large counterweight of 450 tonnes to balance the bridge during installation. The bridge was finally rotated into position across the road and rail lines and lowered into position on top of a cill beam and portal frame, at either end of the bridge.

Rosanna Lawes, Executive Director of Development at London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “Our thanks go to all the hard-working construction staff who have made fantastic progress, especially those from GRAHAM and their contractors who were hard at work over the Christmas holidays to deliver this fantastic new bridge.”

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “The installation of the Carpenters Land Bridge is another key moment in the East Bank development. It will provide access to local people and visitors from around the globe to the world-leading institutions that are set to be based at the country’s new powerhouse of culture, education, innovation and growth.”

The bridge works are due to be completed in spring 2020.

 

Video by GRAHAM Group on YouTube