Infrastructure brings cities to life. land and move the old landform into its new improved communications, rail systems, power “the big challenge is to take quite
The righT
utilities such as drainage, power and water shape. We are also infrastructure designers systems, roads and bridges. the infrastructure utilitarian design standards and to make them
supplies are part of the equation. But so too for the northern zones. Our job is to create of the four boroughs touched by London appropriate to a more local look and feel, to
are roads, railways, public spaces, landscaping the platform on which the Games are being 2012 is being massively improved. in effect, become part of an aesthetic solution,” he says.
foundaTions
and even the pavement. When they work built. this includes detailed landscape 75p out of every £1 that we’re spending is still “Development infrastructure is a fundamental
together, these components create something creation, as well as designing roads and going to be in use 100 years from now.” part of the life of a place. it becomes the heart
that is far more than the sum of their parts. bridges for the north of the park.” of the social interaction that people have in
they create a sense of place. “almost every conceivable type of Beyond infrastructure the public space. it combines engineering
atkins is playing a major role in the infrastructure creation is going on at the Major infrastructure projects such as these with architecture in equal measure.”
preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Olympic Park,” says John armitt, chairman emphasise the way that engineering is the elements of urban design include
and Paralympic Games. Working with the of the ODa. this public body is responsible changing. concrete, steel and calculations roads, bridges, landscaping and surface
Olympic Delivery authority (ODa), its for the new venues and infrastructure being are still very much part of the picture. But so treatments. the detailed configuration of
Delivery Partner and other contractors, created for the Games, and their use after is a deeper understanding of the social and each component and its relative position in
a brand new landscape is being created 2012. “We’re virtually building a small town, aesthetic dimension. Bringing today’s larger- the bigger picture determine how a place will
out of an industrial wasteland for London’s from a power station to a medical centre, to than-life projects to fruition means looking look and feel, and how it will be used. Putting
Olympic Park. atkins will also provide apartments, tunnels, locks and sports stadia. beyond the drawing board. it all together is both a science and an art.
hundreds of temporary sporting venues “in order to create the Olympic Park in this “We call this ‘development infrastructure’,” “it’s really about emotional intelligence,”
up and down the country. particular part of London, we are investing says Mcnicholas. “We came up with that term says Mcnicholas. “You have to understand
“We’re the project managers for the massively in infrastructure,” says armitt. “the to describe an integrated approach to the the bigger picture for a masterplan. the
preparation of the whole site,” says Mike stadia are not the most expensive part of the provision of the things that go between the engineer needs to have empathy for the
Mcnicholas, atkins project director for bill; we’re spending more on infrastructure. buildings on large-scale projects. in its broader social aspect – the aesthetic backed by
London 2012. “this involves working with this represents an automatic infrastructure sense, development infrastructure can be engineering is really important. it puts us
the contractors to clean up contaminated legacy for this part of London, in the form of physical and social. in a different space. it means being led by
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