Roof for the Olympic 2012 aquatics centre is completed

The stingray-shaped roof of the 2012 Olympics aquatics centre has been set into place. The sweeping 160 metre aquatics centre roof, designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid, will form part of the entrance to London's Olympic Park. It is expected that the aquatics centre, which will cost around £250 million, will be completed in the summer of 2011, leaving a year for testing and trial events. "It's a terrific feat of engineering design, engineering construction and a terrific architectural concept," Armitt said. "This has been a terrific challenge and a few months ago people used to ask me what I thought of the roof and I said I would be relieved when it was in its final position and it had taken up the shape the engineers had planned. "It's done exactly that, all the supports are now free from it and so people can see its clear span." Armitt believed London's aquatics centre would be better than Beijing's illuminated Water Cube. "The Water Cube looked fantastic from the outside when it was lit but from the inside I personally found it a bit disappointing," he said. "I think this one will be equally as exciting inside as it is outside." Organisers have been criticised over the aquatics centre after costs rose steeply from the £75 million quoted when London won the right to host the Games.

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ITN | November 12, 2009

Tags:. .summer. .host. .water. .steeply. .stingray