We’ve most definitely have caught Olympic fever here at TMS Architects and quite frankly are looking forward to the games wrapping up so we can finally get some sleep! We’ve enjoyed the seeing the amazing Olympic venues all most as much as the actual competition. The London 2012 games have a variety of innovative eco-friendly buildings as well as some architecturally significant venues that will be enjoyed for years to come.
The Olympic village is located in East London transformed an old industrial and neglected area of the city into a vibrant community. One of the more interesting facilities is the Lee Valley Whitewater Course. This is a man made course that allows people to experience the thrill of white water right in the city! The course was created by S2O Design a design group dedicated to whitewater park design. In the years past these man made courses were created with concrete and mimicked rock and bolder formations. New design technology using S2O’s Rapid Blocks allows whitewater designers to build a course that can be changed and modified as needed. The blocks remind us of our favorite childhood toys Legos and are a quick and efficient building method.
The block design
Rapid Bloc
The course design can be easily moved and reconfigured at no cost. The course can be adjusted for different types of competitions and levels of difficulty.
S2O Design
The course is quite a site in this urban environment.
Lee Valley Whitewater Course
The Lee Valley White Water Center will be one of the first new Olympic venues open to the public upon the completion of the games. If you are heading to London this might be a great urban adventure.
Originally reported in Smithsonian.com.
