LOCOG has released details of new Games-time naming for selected venues and spectator areas in the Olympic Park, to help create consistent signage and ‘wayfinding’ for spectators, aiding crowd flows and helping spectators navigate the 500-acre Olympic Park site.
New naming includes:
- Riverbank Arena (Formerly Hockey Centre). The venue hosts Hockey events in the Olympic Games along with Paralympic 5-a-side and 7-a-side Football. The new name reflects the venue’s location next to the River Lea in the Olympic Park.
- Copper Box (Formerly Handball Arena). The venue hosts Olympic Handball and the Fencing discipline of the Modern Pentathlon, then by Goalball during the Paralympic Games. The new name reflects the venue’s boxed-shape and distinct copper cladding, helping create a visual reference for spectators travelling to the venue.
- Stratford Walk (Formerly F10 / Aquatics Centre bridge). This huge 250m-long land bridge forms the main ‘Gateway to the Games’ taking spectators from Stratford City across the Aquatics Centre and towards the Olympic Stadium. Stratford Walk is expected to carry two-thirds of people visiting the Olympic Park, and will be joined by three other main spectator entrances - ‘Greenway Walk’ in the south of the Olympic Park; ‘Eton Manor Walk’ in the north; and ‘Victoria Walk’ in the west.
- London Way. The main circulation route for spectators and central ‘spine’ of the Olympic Park, running north-to-south through the middle of the site. It will be the only 'London Way' within London.
- Orbit Circus. Located around The Orbit, the 115m high visitor attraction in the south of the Olympic Park between the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre, this spectator area takes the typically London reference to ‘Circus’ meaning a central area where a number of different spaces converge.
LOCOG has also announced that Birmingham Airport will host a London 2012 ‘welcome spectacular’ to give athletes and fans flying into the region a special Midlands welcome.
On approach to the airport, passengers will see the five giant Olympic Rings on the airport’s new air traffic control tower, which can also be seen from the main road into Birmingham.
The airport will also feature the London 2012 pictograms along the taxiway, and will use London 2012 branding to cover Diamond House opposite the terminal.
