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How the 2012 Olympic village will look
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent8 Jan 2009
NEW images of the £900million Olympic village in Stratford were released by the Olympic Delivery Authority today.
The ODA said work on the 2,800-apartment project remained on track despite continued funding difficulties.
The ODA has already used £95million of contingency funds to bail out the scheme as developer LendLease and its banks struggled to find £450million in private funding.
Olympics chiefs are almost certain to ask for more cash this year for the village.
ODA chief executive David Higgins said: "These images show the progress we are making, keeping us on track to deliver new homes for Londoners together with parks, public squares and community facilities. Our discussions on the funding of the village are continuing."
Construction work on the Olympic village , which will comprise 11 residential blocks, started last May and has already become one of the busiest construction sites in London.
Work has begun on the village's "super-structure". The first above-ground vertical columns have been constructed to form the ground-floor level of the first residential buildings.
Reader views (28)
Another high rise slum
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 24/01/2009 12:59
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Oh no another slum
- David Macey, salisbury, 13/01/2009 07:18
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The new construction requirements for the 2012 Olympics offer the chance to clean up and shape up some of the shabbier sections of a city. It's not like the new housing, for example, built for the Olympic athletes will be abandoned once the games are over.
- Patrick Riley, USA, 12/01/2009 22:32
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I'm surprised at the comments of Pete from Dundee. I whole heartedly agree that diverted monies cause hardship to charitable organisiations, but the benefit to the UK economy from these games will be enormous. The probability of tourists coming first to the England and then visiting places in the rest of the British isles is huge. The financial benefit will br spread throughout.
Unfortunately, I feel having grown up in Londons East End that no matter what facade is put up, the local populous still needs to take care of all the new housing environments being provided. Personally I feel it could be wasted investment, nice houses do not equal nice neighbours.
- Paul Sullivan, Chigwell, UK, 12/01/2009 12:43
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With that fantastic architecture of this village and its after-games-legacy London´s one step further.
- The Bavarian, Bavaria/Germany, 11/01/2009 16:21
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The biggest problem I have with us hosting the olympics is money being diverted from Charity organisations and then having to close. This is happening a lot in Scotland to worthwhile organisations and is splitting communities apart. it seems to be Scotland's charities being hit more than others over these games. In my personal opinion leave the money to go to these organisations and find other ways of funding the games, if we can't afford it as a nation then pull out. Communities outwith London & England should not be suffering with funding due to these games.
- Pete, Dundee, Scotland, 09/01/2009 14:52
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I agree with Tom Mallard. Let's use this as an opportunity to celebrate and show what we can do. Stop all this negativity!
- Maj Coot, Surrey UK, 09/01/2009 13:39
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It looks superb. I reckon the guys who did the 3D graphics should get an award.
- Ian Johnson, Alton, Hants., 09/01/2009 13:33
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I think it looks fantastic! People should all stop moaning or we'll be mocked for decades as the hosts of the 'grumpylympics'
- Tom Mallard, London, 09/01/2009 10:25
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Since we were awarded the olympic's this country is falling apart.
£900 million to be spent on this, which will be no where as good as bejing.
this country is in recession?????? im sure this country will be 3rd world soon.
cut ya losses and scrap the olympics and save at least the other £800 million still to pay.
- Richard, Dartford, kent, 09/01/2009 09:39
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Is £900m the building cost? If so, that's 321,428 per apartment. You'd think that building a comprehensive scheme would be less expensive than the market average, not much more. Or does it include the land purchase? Or not? In fact, what does the figure actually pay for? Pleqse help us out here, ES.
- Mdj, Leyton, London, 08/01/2009 22:12
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Who cares about that hole? I know it's going to just cost too much nothing else.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 08/01/2009 19:31
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Beautiful.If they could do this to the Sink Estates then London would be perfect
- H.J.Jones, London UK, 08/01/2009 17:56
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And who will get to own these places after its all done? They will be leasehold, given away to private landlords, not for the people who are bankrolling the 2012 olympics.
- Stephen, London, UK, 08/01/2009 15:04
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Cancel this whole lunatic folly while there is still time!
- Karsten Duncan, Perth, Australia, 08/01/2009 14:17
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Thank god the architects didn't go for an obvious cliche, like Georgian style terraces or cottages with front gardens and allotments that would make the athletes think they were living in the 18th century. These flats make London look like it's a actually a part of the modern world.
- Charlie, Soho, 08/01/2009 14:14
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I love it, I think it fits in very well with the other building in the park and all the greenery around them will fit in perfectly. Bring on 2012.
- Chris Savage, London, 08/01/2009 14:10
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I'm afraid you can't have any more of my money for the Olympics until you give me something back for it.
- Bob, Cheam, 08/01/2009 14:09
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Greenwich, a World Heritage Site, with more Royal connections than Brighton and one of the best views in the world is in East London, Susan. The area also hosts the O2 arena, the best indoor entertainment venue in the world, among many other world class attractions, some centuries old, that have yet to turn to slums.
- Steve, South East London, UK, 08/01/2009 13:56
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Looks like a council estate; how long before it declines into a dump with "social housing".
- Emily, London, 08/01/2009 13:37
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Looks like one of those old eastern bloc commie jobs. Is this really really really what we are putting before the world as an example of our forward looking architecture. We can't even refuse to pay for it. Shame!!
- Jilly, London, 08/01/2009 13:11
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An unimaginative waste of a great opportunity. Londoners in overcrowded conditions want low-rise family homes with gardens, not another buy-to-let jungle.
- Andrew Boff, London, 08/01/2009 12:56
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how predictably boring. This will no doubt look like a 1960's sink estate in a few years. And we will have paid for it all!! woopee!
- Ag, The Village of London, 08/01/2009 12:44
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Why can't the athletes sleep en masse in large tents?
- Bloke, London, 08/01/2009 12:29
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Who cares about Stretford?! Better think who and for how long will have to pay for that bottomless pit...
- Peteo, London, NW1, 08/01/2009 11:04
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For a British Olympics these buildings look like they could be anywhere. Why not build nice Georgian style terraces or cottages with front gardens and allotments that will give the athletes a real sense that they are in England? These are simply too high to house people comfortably, and I expect will turn into slums after the Games given they are in East London.
- Susan, Brighton, 08/01/2009 10:59
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It couldn't be uglier.
- Gill, Birmingham UK, 08/01/2009 10:55
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It looks like a new version of some of the grungy Paris banlieus I see from the metro.
- Helen, norwich, 08/01/2009 10:53
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