The Olympic Village is located in the Olympic Park, within walking distance of the venues – enhancing the experience of athletes and officials who will stay there during the Games.
The design and build
The Olympic Village has residential apartments for around 17,000 athletes and officials during the Games, along with shops, restaurants, medical, media and leisure facilities, and large areas of open space.
There are 11 residential plots, each made up of five to seven blocks built around communal squares and courtyards, with water features accentuating the closeness of the River Lea.
Each apartment provides comfortable accommodation and state-of-the-art communications facilities, including internet access and wireless networking.
The Village also includes a ‘Village Plaza’ where athletes can meet with friends and family. The plan retains London's tradition of building homes around communal squares and courtyards, with water features accentuating the closeness of the River Lea.
Construction of the Village began in May 2008, following planning approval for the first blocks. Work on the other blocks was staggered throughout 2008 and 2009, and by mid-2012 five plots had been structurally completed and the others were approaching their full height. As construction of the plots was finished, they began to be fitted out. Temporary partitions have been put in to create the rooms for the athletes and officials.
After the Games
After the Games, the Olympic Village will be a lasting legacy of essential new housing for east London. It will be transformed into 2,818 new homes, including 1,379 affordable homes and houses for sale and rent, and will create a new residential quarter to be known as East Village.
The communities that develop in the area after the Games will be supported by new parklands, open space, new transport links and community facilities. These will include Chobham Academy – a world-class new education campus with 1,800 places for students aged 3–19 – and a new health centre, which will provide medical facilities to existing local communities and the residents of the Village after 2012.
The accommodation will range from one bedroom apartments up to four- and five-bedroom townhouses. Temporary partitions needed during the Games will be removed to form the final living spaces and bedrooms. Kitchens will be installed, along with new carpets or timber floors.
