Setting the standard for the next Olympic Games

The Challenge

Losberger De Boer was appointed by the London Organising Committee for Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to supply prestigious and extensive facilities for athletes and sponsors at London 2012. 

This project required Losberger De Boer to create the Olympic Hospitality Centre for the International Olympic Committee and London Games’ worldwide partners and tier 1 sponsors, with the remit to deliver a state-of-the-art facility which would set the standard for all future Games. It was imperative that the exclusive and stylish environment reflected the importance of the guests being entertained inside and the brand values of both the Olympic Games and the partner organisations.

In addition, the company was asked to provide an easily accessible flexible space for a dining room with the ability to cater for 17,000 athletes each day along with a diverse range of Athletes’ Village support facilities including a welcome centre, bag check-in, media centre, merchandising and retail outlets and a warehouse.  Furthermore, both projects had to be delivered to the highest health & safety standards and in full compliance with the London 2012 sustainability policy.

The Solution

Losberger De Boer appointed a dedicated Lead Programme Manager to coordinate all aspects of the build with the company providing nearly 50,000m2 of temporary structures.

The Olympic Hospitality Centre – which incorporated both indoor and outdoor spaces - required a total of 6,000 square metres of temporary accommodation including four of Losberger De Boer’s highly versatile Delta Emperor structures, a Delta Vista and a Jumbo structure. Hospitality suites ranged in size from 250 square metres to 1,200 square metres, accommodating a total of more than 4,400 guests each day plus over 600 back-of-house staff, incorporating kitchen personnel. Equipment was transported to the UK from locations including Holland and Spain.

The huge dining structure – measuring 80 metres by 240 metres – was erected in the main Athletes’ Village.  Constructed from Losberger De Boer’s modular Delta System, it provided 18,000 square metres of internal dining space, together with 1,200 square metres of canopy. The facility operated as a 24-hour dining room, seating 5,000 people at any one time and offering cuisine from five continents including European, African, Asian and Halal food.  A further 21,000 square metres of A-frame, Chalet, Delta and Pyramid structures were erected to accommodate the support facilities within the village.

Losberger De Boer was also responsible for many other components of the overlay build including, planning compliance, building control permissions and coordinating more than 20 sub-contractors. Additional services included foundations and ground-works, floor coverings, linings, electricity and water distribution, heating and ventilation, internal walling, toilets and lighting. Work on the huge dining structure began on January 23, with the creation of facilities for the Olympic Hospitality Centre getting underway on February 20 in readiness for hand-over to LOCOG in June 2012.

The Outcome

Losberger De Boer delivered all aspects of the London 2012 assignment on time and on budget. These immensely high-profile projects for London 2012 coincided with Losberger De Boer’s busiest year ever – including the Euro 2012 Football Championships, Volvo Ocean Race and major UK-based events such as Farnborough International Air Show and RHS Chelsea Flower Show – demonstrating the company’s depth of stock and ability to service multiple international events around the world.

• VIP hospitality
• Dining facilities
• Catering facilities
• Security facilities