The Olympic stadium and the masterplan as a whole have taken a new, sustainable approach to temporary architecture ' we use only the materials, structure and operational systems needed for the event, then transform it for a long-term future use. This is part of our broader thinking on legacy: it's not something that can be retrofitted. The Games themselves must be spectacular, but we believe to be truly successful you have to consider the long-term impact right from the start. To achieve a balance between the immediate needs of the large Games stadium against a long term, small scale venue, Populous have embraced the opportunity to develop the architectural language of venue design.
We have progressed a new theory of 'embracing the temporary', exploring form, materials, structure and operational systems to bring a structured palette of elements into a cohesive design. This promotes possibilities of transformation after the Games down to a minimum 25,000 seat venue form. The Games have been a catalyst for urban regeneration in East London, fast tracking 25-30 years of planned work into just a decade and creating the largest new park in the city for over 100 years. The Stadium will also deliver an athletics legacy for London, part of which will be the hosting of the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships. 'The Populous-designed London 2012 stadium was a huge asset in the creation of the Opening Ceremonies for the Games.
The creative and production teams were immediately struck by the intimacy and beguiling simplicity of the architecture which enabled the audiences to feel close to the action, the emotion of the performers to be vividly felt and the explosive live atmosphere to translate powerfully to a global audience of billions.' Bill Morris, London 2012 Director of Ceremonies, Education and Live Sites.