London Olympics - Athletes' Village

The area known as East Village in Stratford, East London, hasn’t always been a vibrant community with modern residences, unique retailers and scenic communal spaces. Once occupied by industrial buildings, the site was brilliantly revitalised into a dynamic metropolitan centre with the redevelopment of the 2012 London Olympic Athletes’ Village.

Following the closing ceremonies, the spartan athlete housing in the Olympic Village, which temporarily accommodated 24,500 individuals during the games, was repurposed to create a new commercial and residential community with thousands of new homes. With the limited space in London, regenerating unused areas of the urban topography is essential to preserving the residential and commercial needs of the city’s population.

Key to this redevelopment project was a fire safety strategy that could be applied site-wide, providing a consistent framework for architects and designers. From the outset, the Jensen Hughes project team worked in tandem with the client and consultants, Building Control, and the Fire Brigade to develop a strategy that combined recent advancements in smoke control and sprinkler design with insights from extensive global research on residential sprinkler systems.

One of the standout achievements of this project was the advancement in sprinkler design. This innovation played a pivotal role in shaping the overall fire safety strategy. By demonstrating the effectiveness of these modern sprinkler systems, the project team dispelled the misconception that open-plan apartments, longer corridors and fewer stairs would compromise the safety of occupants. In fact, these design elements not only met safety standards but contributed to a more open and inviting living environment.

The transformation of the London Olympic Athletes’ Village into a residential space of over 2,800 homes was not just about repurposing buildings. It was also about preserving and enhancing safety standards. Through rigorous planning, cutting-edge fire safety strategies and a commitment to staying at the forefront of fire protection technology, the project team successfully turned this iconic site into a thriving residential community.