Sport Concepts design for Athens 2004

ondon-based specialist architectural practice, Sport Concepts, has been commissioned to prepare detailed designs for three projects that form part of the Olympic facilities in Athens for the 2004 Summer Games. The designs include a permanent 8,000-seat handball and Taekwondo arena, an 8,000-seat temporary boxing arena, and a temporary support building that accommodates press, competitor, and Olympic family facilities. Sport Concepts is working in association with Greek architectural consultants TPAA. The construction of these projects is due to begin this Spring.

One of the key venues for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games is the Handball and Taekwondo arena. This facility is the cornerstone of the redevelopment of the Faliron Bay area. The intent is to create a landmark facility that will serve the local community and act as a "beacon" in attracting the public to the redeveloped waterfront. The elegant elliptical parabolic form of the roof is aligned to address the waterfront and the public entry on to the site.

The Olympic requirements are the major design parameter, yet the facility is designed to convert to a community event centre for post Olympic use. After the Olympics, 4,000 spectator seats are removed and a number of "community rooms" will be constructed on the main concourse. The remaining 4,000 spectator seats are installed on telescoping platforms offering total flexibility in rapidly configuring the building for a variety of sports, entertainment, and exhibition activities.

The demountable 8,000-seat boxing arena satisfies the requirements of the International Amateur Boxing Association's requirements for Olympic competition, but is designed to be removed from the site after the Olympics. The service pods that accommodate toilet and food service facilities are prefabricated and are designed to be re-used in another location. The main arena structure is designed for easy dismantling and recycling, while the seating will simply be rented and returned after the Games. This concept has become the model for other venues to be constructed for the 2004 Games.
The temporary support building is 12,000 square metres in area and provides space for the press centre, team facilities, and warm-up areas for the athletes. The building is modular in its design and can be erected quickly and dismantled after the event. All materials from the building can be recycled after its use.

Sport Concepts was established in 1998, to bring together expertise in the design of sports and entertainment facilities. Principals of Sport Concepts offer over 25 years experience in these fields.

Contact: Michael Lischer at ml@SportConcepts.net or 
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7917 1702 for more information.

Below: boxing arena. Right: handball and taekwondo arena.

New Unitek Screen Kicks-Off At NikePark

L Video's recently acquired Unitek MS17 LED video screen provided the backdrop for fifteen days of exciting competition and entertainment at the NikePark Scorpion K.O. event, held at The Dome in Greenwich, London. Live video specialists XL Video supplied and operated the Unitek screen, which was used as a central feature of the main stage.

Themed on Nike Football's hugely successful TV ad campaign, the Dome was transformed into a post industrial-styled football arena in which sixteen different "Scorpion Tribes" played off against each other for a place in the Scorpion Final held on 15 June 2002. Over the course of the event, thousands of young footballers from all over the UK took part in the hotly contested tournaments. The Dome event was just one of thirteen NikePark competitions held simultaneously across the world, giving youngsters everywhere the chance to put their football skills to the ultimate test. In London alone over 165,000 boys and girls played three on three football.

The video production facilities supplied by XL Video were a crucial element in the success of the London NikePark event. The Unitek MS17 screen was used to run a mixture of live video, event information and Nike Football's TV ads including their newest "Rematch" commercial. The screen also played a prominent role in several evening events, including a live appearance by Ms Dynamite, which culminated in a prestigious awards ceremony hosted by Nike to recognise the achievements of their staff from across the UK and Ireland.

XL Video's Operations Director, Lee Spencer, said; "The Unitek screen was easy to assemble and install, and ran continually for 21 days, 24 hours a day without any problems". Lee continued; "The client was very impressed with the screen, which became one of the main focal points of the event."

Following its successful debut at NikePark, XL Video's MS17 moved on to an event in Arnhem before arriving at the Glastonbury Festival to become a central feature of the Sunday night performances by Roger Waters and Rod Stewart.

For more information contact: 
Ken Browne (Sales Manager) - KenBrowne@UnitekGroup.com:
Zoe Kunzig (Marketing Assistant) - ZoeKunzig@UnitekGroup.com: Graham Nye (Technical Director) - GrahamNye@UnitekGroup.com
Telephone: +44(0)1753 893789 - Fax: +44(0)1753 480803 
Website: www.UnitekDisplays.com

UK Terrorism Insurance Groundbreaking Seminar

ince September 11th, businesses are more aware and possibly more vulnerable to terrorist attacks than ever before. Yet terrorism insurance is often restricted or excluded from policies whilst premiums are continuing to rise strongly.

What are the insurance industry, the Government and Pool Re doing to meet the potential gaps in cover, how have they been resolved for UK exposures and what will the cost be to business? These are amongst the key issues to be tackled at a groundbreaking half-day seminar on Tuesday 18 September 2002 at the Conference Centre, Centre Point, 103 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DU.

Hosted by the British Retail Consortium speakers at the event include representatives from HM Treasury, Pool Re and M&S.

Andrew Smith, BRC Property Policy Executive said: "Access to terrorism cover has become one of the most important issues in the property insurance and reinsurance market as well as having huge impact and implications for public and employee liability. This seminar will be the first chance for those with an interest in insurance against terrorism to come together and discuss the impact of the recent Government announcement on Pool Re."

The seminar is ideal for those who have day-to-day responsibility for insurance and risk management, finance, legal affairs and security at businesses who have a concentration of the public in their locations including shops; shopping Centres; town centres; banks; air, rail and bus terminals; hotels; sporting facilities; entertainment and leisure facilities.
It is also of interest to those who have large concentrations of employees at a single location such as financial institutions, consultancies and manufacturers alongside those who build, own, manage or develop commercial property in the UK, particularly any well known landmark sites or tourist attractions.

For further information or a booking form please contact: Nicky Curley on +44 (0)207 854 8983 or email nicky.curley@brc.org.uk

If there are any events or news items you think we should know about, please contact Katie L. Else on +44 (0) 1332 814555 or via email at: katie-else@panstadia.com