Focus 3 - The Day the Olympics came to Town

I watched this program on BBC's Inside Out programme, about London's preparations for the 2012 Olympics.

They approached creative directors from a few of the capital's top advertising agencies to discuss promotion of the games using London's iconic buildings and landmarks. Some ideas of the brainstorming sessions looked at including four more London Eye's to make five rings......

Or projections onto some of our cities best known structures......

Londoner's are also per household, apparently spending £200 over the next couple of years to help pay for the Games, and thanks to the Olympic family, (advertisers, etc) there will only be 16,000 tickets available for everyone else. And Londoner's receive no preference over someone from Estonia or Italy. Since we are hosting the games, we invite the world. This is understandable, but why should so many millions of seats be available to the 'Olympic Family'??

The other issue raised in the programme, is that this is supposed to be the 'Green Games', BUT, VIP's and senior officials are residing in Park Lane for the Games, and an Olympic Route Network is planned for them to reach the games in Stratford. The estimated time for travelling in the Olympic lane from Park Lane is 22 and a half minutes, but this means that everyone else loses a lane......I am all for having less cars on the roads but why could they not have stayed in a hotel nearer to the Games site? Why does the whole of central London have to suffer so that the officials can stay in Central London? Absolutely CRAZY.

Aside from the problems, there are so many opportunities the Games can bring to London. They touched on sites that could be used for world music venues etc, and one was the site surrounding Battersea Power Station. The latest design proposal I am working on is about greening this particular area, with a river regeneration project incorporating green spaces on the Grosvenor Road/Chelsea Embankment and Nine Elms edge of the Thames. I think the Thames could be used much more for the Games, perhaps with extra transport routes to Stratford from Central and West London. This traffic route could incorporate new green spaces where events are televised and so allowing for more people to enjoy the Games.

+ all pictures screenshots from The Day the Olympics came to Town