The rapid redesign of London’s
media centre

Slammed by governmental advisors, plans for the London 2012 media venues have been overhauled just as construction work was beginning

The countdown to the London Olympics is generating many positive news stories, but one subject that was not well received was the initial design of the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre – the ‘home’ for the world’s media during the 2012 Games.

Panoramic view of construction on the IBC/MPC building site in April 2009
(Picture: ODA©/ David Poultney)

With 20,000 news-hungry media professionals set to use the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and Main Press Centre (MPC) in 2012, the press has been keeping a watchful eye on the progress of the 370,000 sq m site at the Olympic Park in Stratford. The media found its angle in April 2009 when the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) – the government’s architecture watchdog – described RPS Group Burks Green’s original designs for the IBC as “extremely weak and lacking real conviction”.

CABE, whose design review panel is advising the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), published a report stating: “Our greatest concern is the extraordinary banality of the IBC ‘mega structure’. In our view, it is simply not good enough as currently proposed. We would go so far as to say that its continued presence would blight rather than enhance the Olympic legacy.”

With regard to the MPC, designed by architect’s Allies and Morrison, CABE’s report went on to say: “We believe further design work is needed to make this building a convincing detailed planning application.” This hammer blow to the project – with construction of the foundations for the IBC, MPC and media transport mall having started in April – was not the only criticism. Potential legacy users also voiced their concerns.

This prompted an urgent review of the project and original architects Allies and Morrison were appointed to advise RPS in the redesigns of the IBC.

After going back to the drawing board, new applications were rapidly submitted and then finally approved by the ODA Planning Committee on June 24 2009. David Higgins, ODA chief executive, said: “The IBC and MPC is on track and will provide a quality working environment for media during the Games, while delivering flexible employment space for a range of potential legacy tenants and users.”

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell added: “The media centre will provide state-of-the-art facilities for thousands of press when they come to London in 2012. After the Games the IBC and MPC can then be modified for use by businesses and has the potential to be the beating heart of London’s growing digital economy.”

Design shake-up
Redesigns and last-minute changes will see the scale of the IBC visually improved by a 60,000 sqm chequerboard design, cladding the gantry that runs alongside the building.

The MPC changes would include the addition of a new cladding design and detailing for the 29,000sqm office block with more colour, an emphasised legacy entrance and the building visually broken up into sections.

Sustainability standards of new buildings is also a key focus for the ODA, and the MPC will include a 2,500sqm brown roof of gravel and moss to encourage invertebrates; 60 per cent of non-drinking water to be collected from across the Olympic Park; and more than 100 bird and bat boxes.

Other amendments include new cladding design for the permanent section of the “media transport mall” – which will provide coach drop-off and car parking, accreditation and security screening during the Games.

Games-time workspace
The IBC, MPC and media transport mall will combine a mixture of permanent and temporary elements during the Games and have been designed to accommodate a range of legacy tenants and uses. The IBC will provide two 8-10m high floors of studio space during the Games with a temporary gantry running along the building for technical equipment. It will also include 8,000 sq m of offices over five floors at the front of the building.

With state-of-the-art utilities, power and digital connectivity during the Games and in legacy, the MPC will have 9,000 sq m of sustainable office space, providing four storeys of workspace for journalists and photographers. The design of the MPC will enable the option to be adapted in legacy for either a single tenant in the whole building or on each floor. A connected single strip of single-storey buildings facing the canal can be separated into ‘mews’ accommodation in legacy.

The other major Games-time elements that have been granted planning permission include a 12,000sqm catering village serving 50,000 meals a day; a high street between the IBC and MPC with banks, newsagents, travel agents and a post office; and a temporary media conference room between the IBC and MPC for up to 800 journalists.

Looking ahead
Legacy is one of the biggest talking points of the London Olympics, and concerns over the IBC/MPC designs played a big part in the re-think of the project. After 2012 the facilities will create approximately 84,000 sq m of business space with the potential to provide thousands of new jobs for East London.

Leading the legacy planning is the London Development Agency (LDA). Its chief executive Peter Rogers said: “The design refinements, along with the structural enhancements to be made after the Games, will provide greater flexibility in splitting the building into different configurations for legacy tenants. We are delighted to have reached this milestone and look forward to a smooth transition of the project over to the Olympic Park Legacy Company.”

One organisation which will be benefit in legacy would be local authority Hackney Council. They had concerns over design, but are pleased with the final decision. Jules Pipe, mayor of Hackney, said: “We are pleased that improvements have been made to the design of the IBC which enable the building to be more flexible for its legacy use.

“We welcome the ongoing commitment to refining the MPC design and finish to ensure a building of quality that can become the home for creative industries in legacy. We must now ensure the employment legacy vital to Hackney and East London is achieved and we will continue to work closely with our partners to secure this for our residents.”

When the Games finish, the site’s other major legacy development - the media transport mall - will be halved to provide car parking spaces to legacy tenants alongside walking, cycling and public transport connections.