Design team chosen for London’s huge “Olympicopolis” cultural scheme

The giant new development – on the site of the former London 2012 Olympic Park – will feature outposts of the V&A, UAL and Smithsonian.

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The design team has been chosen to work on the huge “Olympicopolis” scheme in east London, which will see part of the former London 2012 Olympic Park turned into a cultural centre, with the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Smithsonian and University College London all opening outposts.

The winning team is led by architect Allies and Morrison and also features O’Donnell and Tuomey, Josep Camps/Olga Felip Arquitecturia, Gustafson Porter, Gustafson Porter, Buro Happold and Gardiner and Theobald.

The team will now work on designs for the 70,000m2 scheme – which will also feature a 75,000m2 residential development.

The development, on the Stratford Waterfront at the Queen Elizabeth Park, will feature UCL’s first School of Design, which the university says will offer “new taught courses in design, alongside research and innovation opportunities”.

Meanwhile University of Arts London is creating a new campus to bring together London College of Fashion’s 6,500 students and staff for the first time in the college’s 100-year history.

The V&A and Sadler’s Wells are partners in the new development – and plan to open new outposts – while discussions are currently under way with the Smithsonian Institution, which could see it open its first permanent museum outside the United States on the site.

Director of the V&A, Martin Roth, says: “The education and cultural district planned for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has the potential to be one of the most exciting and important developments of our time.”

Bob Allies of Allies and Morrison says: “Having been involved in the design of the Olympic Park from the submission of the initial bid to the completion of the Legacy masterplan, we are very excited to have been selected to bring forward this final component of what will be an extraordinary new piece of London, a remarkable collaboration between outstanding institutions.”

UCL has previously said that construction on its new campus at the site will start in 2018.

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Sketches for the new site
Sketches for the new site
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