Piling starts on London 2012 media centre

2,100 concrete piles are being sunk up to 24m into the ground to form the foundations of the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and Main Press Centre (MPC) for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The IBC/MPC will support around 20,000 broadcasters, photographers and journalists communicating the Games to an audience of four billion people worldwide.

This summer work will start on the steel frame of the IBC, which is 275m long, 104m wide, 21m tall and big enough to house five jumbo jets. Over 4,500 tonnes of steel with trusses up to 24m long are being produced and fabricated for the IBC in Dalton, North Yorkshire.

‘The ‘big build’ is right on track as we make steady progress on the venues and infrastructure needed both for the London 2012 Games and the regeneration of this part of east London,” said Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Chief Executive David Higgins

‘The Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Olympic Village are already taking shape against the skyline and building started earlier this year on the Velodrome. With the start of construction of the IBC/MPC all of the ‘big 5’ venues on the Olympic Park are now underway.”

Construction is now underway on the ‘big five’ Olympic Park venues; the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Olympic Village are taking shape and the foundations of the Velodrome well underway.

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