Limbering up for the Olympics

Neither Navy Blue nor Thompson has work in place beyond last week’s announcement, indicating that design services will be reassessed as the programme to host the games moves forward. ‘It is absolutely top of mind for us to see if we can continue with the work we have done and which we are now quite emotionally attached to,’ says Nicol.

The games’ primary marque will also need to be settled in the run-up to the competition. The now-familiar river-ribbon motif created by Kino Design for the London 2012 bid is likely to be replaced by an official games identity.

Kino partner Andrew Bignell says it would be unprecedented for the IOC to retain a bid logo for use in the games themselves. ‘The fact that London’s 2012 bid is successful will not guarantee anybody anything in terms of design work, but we have had conversations about what might happen. I hope the logo lasts for another two years,’ he says.

THE OLYMPIC TIMELINE

2005

• July: Shortlisted Velopark designers to submit formal tenders

• August: Winners of Olympic Park and Velopark design tenders announced

2006

• HOK Sport Architecture- and Foster & Partners-designed Wembley Stadium completed

• Work on upgrading Wimbledon begins

• Additional contracts for Olympic Park announced

2007

• Land purchases and designs completed

• Construction of Olympic Village and Stadium begins

• Wimbledon upgrade complete

2008

• Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Aquatics Centre completed

• Velopark completed

• Broxbourne canoe slalom course completed

2011

• Olympic Village completed

• Permanent installations completed

2012

• 27 July – 12 August: Olympic Games

• 29 August – 9 September: Paralympic Games