Work starts on 14 new floodlight towers at former Olympic Stadium

Work has begun on 14 brand new floodlights to the former Olympic Stadium at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. (Image: Archant)

The new 18m floodlight paddles will each house between eight and 41 lamps, many of which are the originals that shone during London 2012.

Maintaining the iconic triangular design from the Games, international infrastructure group Balfour Beatty will take 12 hours to lift each 45 tonne light into place, 30m above the Stadium floor.

Instead of sitting atop the roof though, the new floodlight towers will hang below a newly erected roof ­­– the largest of its kind in the world, covering every seat in the stadium.

This new layout will ensure an improvement in the acoustics and spectator experience for the wide range of sports and events that will take place in the venue.

David Goldstone, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “Many people will have memories of London 2012 that centre around the stadium and its iconic floodlights so it was really important to us to retain the design of the lights whilst transforming the stadium into a world-class multi-use venue.”

Work on the roof and floodlight paddles will be completed ahead of the five Rugby World Cup 2015 matches taking place in the autumn.

As the tower work began, the steel halo frame to surround the stadium was completed, soon to feature 96 turnstiles, 33 catering outlets and close to 1,000 toilets.

Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, said: “The installation of the first of the floodlights is another huge step towards ensuring the stadium offers the best possible viewing experience for competitors and spectators enjoying the range of sports and entertainment that will take place there.

“The conversion work will see the stadium continue to be a world class visitor attraction that benefits the residents of Newham, London and the nation as a whole.”