London 2012 Olympic Games information pavilion

International architecture competition entry
location: Trafalgar Square, London, UK, 2011
area: 150 m2
project team: Dimos Moysiadis, Xaris Tsitsikas

A contemporary monumental expression of the classical arch describes the proposal . A standing frame notifies the significance of the Olympic Games as a victorious arch of our times. The prism has a clear shape, a rectangular border. Wedged between the historical landmarks of National Gallery and Nelson’s Column, the arch consciously breaks the known flow diverts and consequently focuses the crowd’s attention on sporting challenges. The big screen hangs and completes the rectangular void of the construction, disturbs the open view through the “arch”, assigning the important role of the monitor that screams and captivates the attention of the crowd with the size and the dominant position. The wide stairway that links the two levels of the square is beside the proposed pavilion, in front of the big screen, undertaking the role of an amphitheatre. The envelope that covers the metallic beam wireframe construction is a reflective skin collecting solar energy to cover the needs of the pavilion. The images of the context appear on the volume that blends in and seems to be lighter.