By ,
Published November 20, 2014
Location: Olympic Park at Stratford in east London
Events: Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming and the swimming portion of Modern Pentathlon
Construction: Started in 2008 and completed in July of 2011 at a cost of roughly $420 million.
Gallons of Water: 2.6 million
Another Olympiad, another focal point on the site of the swimming competition. Much like the Water Cube was a highlight of the 2008 Games, so too will be the London Aquatics Center. And much like Beijing, it will host some of the Summer Olympics' marquee events, from Tom Daley's dives to the Ryan Lochte-Michael Phelps duels in the pool.
The Aquatics Centre consists of three pools -- a 50-meter competition pool, a 25m diving pool, a 50m warm-up pool -- as well as a warm-up area for divers. The 17,500-seat arena (a number that will drop to 2,500 after the Olympics) was designed by Zaha Hadid, an internationally-renowned architect and winner of the Stirling Prize in 2010 and 2011.
Leo Mason-US PRESSWIRE
The most impressive accomplishment on the Aquatics Center is the roof, which resembles a wave and is over 500-feet long and as wide as 262 feet.
After the Games, the Aquatics Centre will be used as a facility for the local community, replacing the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre as the home of clubs and schools, as well as elite swimmers.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012-olympic-venue-previews-london-aquatics-center