Balfour Beatty has won the £40m contract to build a new roof for the Olympic Stadium in east London which will be double the size of the original.
The work for stadium operator E20 Stadium Partnership initially involves dismantling the existing roof and floodlight towers. An extensive cable net system will support the new roof, which will be constructed on the floor of stadium and then lifted into position. A number of 600-tonne cranes operating within the stadium will then tandem lift the supporting roof steelwork into place.
When it is completed the roof will be twice its original size to allow all-weather protection for sports spectators and improved acoustics for concerts. A combination of solid and transparent roof coverings will allow natural light to flow through.
Balfour Beatty’s work will double the size of the stadium’s roof
Balfour Beatty chief executive, Andrew McNaughton, said: “This award enables us to continue to develop our role in the London 2012 Olympic legacy. Our utilisation of leading BIM techniques has allowed us to develop a bespoke construction methodology that will reduce the programme risk to this technically challenging scheme.
“Once complete, the stadium will provide a first-class sporting and cultural facility for many generations to come.”
Work is due to commence on site this autumn and is due for completion in the spring of 2015.
The roof contract will eventually be transferred over to the successful bidder of the main conversion contract for the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, which is being procured under a separate contract.
In addition to this new legacy activity at the Olympic Park, Balfour Beatty is continuing to convert the London 2012 Aquatics Centre into a facility that will be used by local communities. Balfour Beatty is removing the temporary seating stands and replacing them with glazed elevations to reveal the stunning Zaha Hadid-designed building.
