Ten years ago, Clare Gallagher was a construction manager working on the London Olympic Stadium for Sir Robert McAlpine. Now a project director at the contractor, she speaks to CM about her memories of the project and its legacy
How did your career lead you to working on the Olympic Stadium?
I have worked for Sir Robert McAlpine since joining as a student in 1990. Having progressed from junior engineer to section manager, I was part of the team that built Arsenal Football Club’s Emirates Stadium. I was on the Emirates team for the full duration of the contract, from piling through to completion, and working closely with the design team, I developed a detailed understanding of the challenges in stadium design and construction. This experience set me in great stead when I joined ‘team stadium’ for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Clare Gallagher CV
Graduated from University of Sheffield in 1993, with BEng in Civil & Structural Engineering.
Joined Sir Robert McAlpine in 1993; worked as an engineer and section manager up to 2004.
Joined the Emirates Stadium construction team in 2004.
London Olympic Stadium construction manager, 2008 to 2011.
Project manager on Grosvenor Estate projects, 2011 to 2015.
Since 2015, project director on SRM schemes in Cardiff and Bristol.
What was it like to work on a project with such a high international profile?
Many of the lessons learnt at Emirates could be taken forward to the London Olympic Stadium. One of the key elements that resonated with me was the level of engagement between everyone on site. The opinions of every individual were respected and considered, creating an inclusive culture. The full site team celebrated milestones, for example, from an annual countdown to the opening ceremony, to VIP visits. Following this experience and having seen the value of this culture first hand, I now engage directly with operatives far more than I might have in the past.
What were the biggest technical challenges on the Olympic Stadium construction?
The logistics, given the scale of the Olympic Park, were immense. Once through the park gates and airport-style security, due to its size, buses took us to the venue. We had to book deliveries in advance, and they were held outside of the park until their allocated delivery slot. However, we were fortunate enough to be the first venue to commence construction on the site. There was also a batching plant for concrete on the park and we had our own precast production line on the site.
What were the time pressures like?
The delivery programme was of course non-negotiable, but we managed to complete the stadium both ahead of time and under budget. For this we must accredit our proven supply chain that we had established relationships with and trusted to work collaboratively. This enabled us to secure the best of the best in sub-contract management teams. Much of the credit for the project delivery should go to the commitment of key individuals within those organisations.
What do you consider the legacy of the London Olympics construction programme?
After the stadium’s completion in May 2011, I was fortunate enough to enjoy it myself when watching some of the Paralympic games later in the summer of 2012. However, what really brought home the significance of what our ‘Team Stadium’ had been a part of and achieved was the mood across London that summer. You only had to hop on a tube to be reminded of the scale of joy and sense of community that the Olympic Games had brought to our capital and country. In the reflections we have seen over the past month to mark the decade since the London Olympics, that atmosphere is still so easily recalled.
Having had the opportunity to work on the build of the Olympic Games’ stadium as a construction manager for Sir Robert McAlpine, reflecting on London 2012 never fails to remind me of an unforgettable milestone in my career.
