New image shows beach volleyball venue in horse guards parade for the London 2012 games

The new image issued today by Populous, shows the architect’s vision of the Beach Volleyball venue as it will appear for the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is released ahead of the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International, on 9-14 August, at Horse Guards Parade, which will be an exciting rehearsal for the Olympic event next year.

Populous, the official architectural and overlay design services provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with 10 Olympic Games of experience in its portfolio and currently working on 35 of the London 2012 venues, has embraced the temporary nature of the venue at Horse Guards Parade to develop a truly unique stadium that incorporates the London historic architecture and skyline as a natural backdrop for the event.

Beach Volleyball has proved to be one of the most popular sports at the Olympic Games since its introduction in Atlanta in 1996. The setting in the iconic Horse Guards Parade venue, within an entirely temporary 15,000 outdoor seating arena – similar in size to Wimbledon Centre Court, positions it to be one of the most-sought after tickets events for the London 2012 Games. The stadium itself has been designed to create a 'theatre in the round' lower bowl that will provide a high energy atmosphere, and a three-sided upper bowl that will provide spectators and television audiences with an unrivalled view of the London skyline beyond.

Jeff Keas, Principal of Populous said, “The Olympics centre on a number of ideals regarding sport, art, culture and education. We’ve integrated these principles in our design approach to event architecture, so everyone from the athletes to the spectators will have a spectacular experience. We are bringing a new perspective to the field of play; we are showing the city in a way that you’ve never seen it before.”

Populous, together with Allies and Morrison and Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, have taken particular care to ensure that the venue design fits in with the natural surroundings and is sympathetic to the heritage of the setting. Factors that have been taken into consideration include accessibility, noise, lighting, traffic, spectator experience and of course the requirements of the competitors themselves.

Jeff Keas commented, “As architects, we consider the cultural and design aspects of an event, alongside the operational and commercial. By taking a design-inclusive approach to temporary structures, we’re able to maximise user experience to create memorable places and spaces out of simple, tried and trusted products.”

The site will revert to its current use at the end of the Olympic Games.