OLYMPIC KIOSK
Organiser Architecture Foundation Type Public Space
Procurement Type Competition Location London Year 2010
For the 2012 Olympic Games the London-based Architecture Foundation had organised a competition to design an information pavilion. The site is located nearby London Stratford International Train station and is a key arrival and departure point for guests of the global sporting event.
A welcoming building
The design concept proposed a single storey structure that "welcomes" guests arriving from Stratford Station in olympic colours as facade material together with wide, full height entrances. Additionally a big screen provides Information and Orientation. The long structure is positioned perpendicular to the train station building which enhances the strong visual connnection to the transportation hub. Full height window bands underline the colour concept of the facade that work like joists between the coloured zones. The coloured zones also end at the same points as the internal usages so that spatial program is communicated to the external.
Flexible usage
The building design responds to the time after the big sporting event making the use of the structure flexible to new opportunities. That helps to avoid an empty building in general and supports the sustainble concept of a building flexible to change. That is, especially, the potential use as an information centre by the Local Council of Newham which is the borough the site is located in. Starting off though, the following program was requested: Information Centre Olympic Games, Information Centre Tfl, a public toilet and a cafe.
Technical efficiency
During design, it has been an important goal to minimise technology and to maximise the use of renewable energy to power the building. That is supported by a photovoltaic device that covers approximately 50% of the roof, facade materials that are recycled and are certified to be reused again. As well, we proposed a green roof that has a rainwater harvesting system to flush toilets and help to reduce the use of drinking water. KS
Architecture Foundation Competition website