Olympic Village Athletes 2012

Initially constructed to house the thousands of Olympians participating in London 2012, the Athletes’ Village is one of the most notable housing construction projects to take place in the UK in recent decades. To ensure its longevity post-Games, the village was designed to be converted into more than 2,800 homes. To make this possible, factors such as design and material quality would be critical.

Divided into numerous plots, a number of architects were engaged to introduce an array of design elements across the project. While the inner cores of these buildings were consistent across the village, each façade would be unique – often reflecting elements of architectural styles seen across the capital city. Once converted following the Games, a variety of apartments, duplexes and townhouses would transform the area, leaving a lasting positive legacy of London 2012.

With each of the residential plots made up of between six and eight buildings overlooking a traditional courtyard, glazing would play an instrumental role in making interior spaces comfortable, while connecting them with the outer shared spaces. Glazed winter gardens integrated into the buildings’ facades provide a further layer of comfort, connecting the development and its occupants to the outside. Of the more than £20 million worth of doors and windows required across the development, Reynaers supplied an impressive portfolio of high performing aluminium systems.

Complementing the existing building designs, the aluminium glazing systems would help to enhance the spaces for occupants and contribute towards the sustainability of the project, with aluminium systems being 100% recyclable.

System performance also needed to be factored in here. Providing enhanced insulation and weather performance, with double butt strips between the frame and vent and lowered drainage ensuring superior air, wind and water tightness, the thermally insulated three-chamber CS 68 and CS 77 systems were selected. The CP 96 sliding door system from Reynaers further delivered on performance, while contributing to the striking aesthetics of the development.

But the decision to specify Reynaers systems wasn’t made purely on aesthetics and sustainability. Timings were crucial throughout the construction phase, with the deadline of the Olympic Games requiring everything to be completed on time. To this end, a modular system of façade panels – Reynaers ES 50 – was employed to span 10 storeys with expressed joints and protecting window reveals used to fully articulate the elevations.

Now, several years on from the Olympics, these unique residential buildings are home to thousands of people. While the buildings and their glazing elements form the very fabric of the built environment, with their high quality ensuring longevity, they are one thread woven into the transformative landscape. Elsewhere across the village, thousands of trees have been planted, public spaces and communal gardens provide spaces for people to meet, and urban amenities such as shops and medical centres cement the village as a successful regeneration project.