STF5 - 2014: Past Presentations
The Aquatic Centre
Zaha Hadid Architects
The London Aquatic Centre is designed to have the flexibility to accommodate the size and capacity of the London 2012 Games whilst also providing the optimum size and capacity for use in Legacy mode after the 2012 Games.
The architectural concept of the London Aquatic Centre is inspired by the fluid geometry of water in motion, creating spaces and a surrounding environment in sympathy with the river landscape of the Olympic Park. An undulating roof sweeps up from the ground as a wave - enclosing the pools of the Centre with its unifying gesture of fluidity, whilst also describing the volume of the swimming and diving pools.
Double-curvature geometry has been used to create a structure of parabolic arches that create the unique characteristics of the roof. The roof projection over the bridge entrance announces the London Aquatic Centre’s presence from the approach from either Stratford City or the Olympic Park.
Patrik Schumacher
Patrik Schumacher is partner at Zaha Hadid Architects. He joined in 1988 and has been the co-author of many key projects. Together with Zaha Hadid he built up Zaha Hadid Architects to become a 400 strong global architecture brand. Patrik Schumacher studied philosophy, mathematics, and architecture in Bonn, London and Stuttgart. He completed his PHD at the Institute for Cultural Science, Klagenfurt University. Since 1996 he teaches the AA Design Research Laboratory. In 2010 and 2012 he published the two Volumes of The Autopoiesis of Architecture.
Image credits:Hufton + Crow