The new Basketball Arena is one of the largest temporary venues ever built for a Games.
The arena will be one of the most heavily-used venues within the Olympic Park, with competition events taking place almost every day.
The design and build
The venue’s frame is made up of 1,000 tonnes of steel and is covered in 20,000 square metres of a recyclable white PVC fabric that will form the canvas for spectacular lighting displays during the Games.
The venue is just as visually impressive from the inside, with its black and orange seats representing the colours of a basketball.
Initial works started on the Basketball Arena in October 2009, and construction was completed on time and within budget in June 2011 – making it one of the quickest Olympic Park venues to be constructed.
The arena’s giant frame was set up in less than three months during spring 2010.
Behind the scenes, the arena shares some facilities with the Velodrome and BMX Track to make most efficient use of space and resources. This includes two courts in temporary accommodation and areas for catering, security, waste management and the media.
After the Games
The Basketball Arena will be taken down after the Games. Parts of it are expected to be reused or relocated elsewhere.
