Architects Populous were challenged to transform the LONDON 2012 Olympic stadium , which was part of a much larger masterplan, into one serving visitors and fans as a stand-alone venue for years to come. West Ham United Football Club was eventually chosen as the tenant for the venue, with football matches having a maximum capacity of 60,000 spectators. West Ham games operate alongside other events: retractable seating was added to accommodate up to 80,000 spectators for those occasions. The Olympic masterplan relied on external spectator accommodations, including food and other hospitality.

Modern venues depend on corporate hospitality to remain economically viable. Among the many changes in the stadium’s redevelopment, an enhanced first-class Hospitality Suite was incorporated into the stadium design using nearly 950m² [10322ft²] of SPS terracing and aisle steps. SPS provided a water-tight ‘roof’ over the concession facilities below. SPS was also used to create additional seating ‘mid-tier’ between the new lower bowl and the existing upper bowl.

In comparison to concrete terraces, using SPS represented a significant weight saving. In a stadium with the largest gravity-supported roof in the world, every ounce counts. Ultimately, the contractor was able to use mini piles in the foundations. Mini piles use considerably less concrete and are credited with saving 400 tonnes of carbon dioxide – helping the stadium redevelopment to gain a BREEAM Excellent certification.

The London Stadium redevelopment was not the only Olympic venue to take advantage of the unique properties of highly customisable SPS. Our demountable terrace decking also transformed Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre from a 17,500-spectator venue back down into one holding 2,500 thousand visitors – much more in keeping with its future legacy for the east London community.