R McAlpine wins Olympic stadium

A high tech design of collapsible roofs and movable structures may have been the clincher for Team McAlpine’s winning bid for the Olympic stadium.

The consortium comprises Sir Robert McAlpine as construction contractor, HOK Sport as architect, sports venue designer Buro Happold as structural engineer and American services engineer, M-E Engineering.

According to reports by HOK, which are not being denied, the proposed £400m cocoon-shaped stadium could include retractable seating tiers, a folding roof and removable stands.

[Contract Journal, 18 October 2006, p 3]