A selection of the product, construction and design innovations achieved by firms involved in delivering the London 2012 Olympic Games will be celebrated in a new exhibition celebrating the industry’s skill and expertise, writes Stephen Cousins.
We Made 2012 opens at the Building Centre in London on 8 July and includes a mixture of film, photography, models and sketches depicting the innovative materials, products, structures, venues and landscaping that went into making the Olympic Park.
It has been reported that 63% of construction companies involved innovated to help their work on site and the exhibition will include several examples of new materials and products that were developed and trialled for the first time, which might never have been possible otherwise.
Special focus will be given to unusual and innovative materials, such as the PVC membrane covering the Olympic shooting venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, and the stretched membrane covering the Basketball Arena.
The exhibition will also feature Aquadyne, a sustainable drainage material used for landscaping, manufactured by start-up firm Econoplas solely using waste plastics.
Many of the exhibits will go on public display for the first time after the Department for Culture Media and Sport relaxed it’s restrictions on firms being able to publicise their involvement in the Games earlier this year.
Andrew Scoones, director at the Building Centre, said: “What comes across most strongly in the exhibition is what an amazing and well managed project the Olympic Park was and the high level of teamwork among those putting venues together. It’s the collective feeling of success and the boost the Games gave to the industry that we’re hoping to communicate to visitors.”
He highlights architect Allies & Morrison’s “creative” designs for electricity substations. “A&M said the Olympics gave them the opportunity to push things a little further and to raise standards that bit higher than on other projects,” said Scoones.
Applications to take part in the exhibition are now closed but firms still wanting to publicise their Olympic work can upload images and text to the online version of the exhibition at www.wemade2012.com.
On 27 January the DCMS launched the “Supplier’s Recognition Scheme” to allow architects, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers and contractors to apply to the British Olympic Committee for a free licence that allows them to discuss and promote their contribution to the project.
“At the end of the Games there was a bit of jadedness in the materials sector and people resented the barriers on publicity put in their way,” said Scoones. “Now the licensing scheme is getting a lot more enquiries, the Construction Products Association has promoted it among their members and got a big response and we expect more firms to sign up after the Design Council said it is going to work with UKTI to use it as a platform for promoting UK businesses overseas.”
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