GGR in the Olympic Park
19 July 2013
A GGR mini crane has been helping install panes of glass on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Aquatics Centre in London, UK.
The Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, will have a total of 628 panes of glass covering 2,800 square metres. The glass covers the side of the Aquatics Centre and will allow natural light into the pool.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park chairman, said, "With the first panes of glass expertly installed in the Aquatics Centre, we can start counting down the months to the grand opening of a world class public swimming facility next spring. The magnificent shape of the Zaha Hadid design is forming day by day and the permanent legacy this superb building will become is evident."
Dennis Hone, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park chief executive, said, “It will take 70 days to install the 628 panes of glass that make up the external walls of this fantastic building. Each pane weighs 200 kg and it takes a team of six people to install a single pane. We expect the team to get through 10 panes a day and finish the outside of the Aquatics Centre in late September. The Aquatics Centre will be a public swimming pool as well as an elite training facility and competition venue. We are on track to deliver a fantastic new destination and a lasting legacy for east London and are looking forward to the full opening of the Park in the spring next year.”
Main contractor for the site is UK construction company Balfour Beatty. The Aquatics Centre will have a cafe, a crèche, a dry dive training area and a full programme of aquatics activities from lane swimming and lessons to aqua-aerobics, water polo and synchronised swimming.
The centre opens in spring 2014.
