A ceremony this Friday, July 6, marked the start of construction works of the Rio 2016™ Olympic Park, which encompasses much of the Olympic and Paralympic competitions in the Games in the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Rio 2016™ Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, and the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, among other authorities.

The Olympic Park installations will take up an area of 1.18 million square meters. Competitions of 14 Olympic sports and disciplines will be staged there (Basketball, Judo, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Handball, Tennis, Cycling, Diving, Water Polo, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Trampoline Gymnastics) and nine Paralympic sports and disciplines (Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Bocce, Judo, Sitting Volleyball, Goalball, Wheelchair Tennis, Cycling and Swimming).

“Today is a historical day for Brazilian sport. The Olympic Park is the heart of the Games, and after 2016 it will leave as a legacy the first Olympic Training Camp in South America”, comments Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the President of the Rio 2016™ Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

For the next 15 years, the area’s infrastructure and maintenance works will be managed by the Rio Mais Consortium, formed by construction companies Norberto Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez and Carvalho Hosken, winner of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP); the bid was conducted by Rio de Janeiro Municipal Authority last March.

Simulation of the Olympic Park Rio 2016™ (Art: Divulgation)

Deactivation of the Race Track

The Olympic Park’s construction works will begin in parallel to the progressive deactivation of the Jacarepaguá Race Track, expected to end in the last quarter of 2012. The Race Track’s demolition will start by the uncovered grandstand area, and will not interfere in the 2012 car race calendar.

The progressive deactivation of the Race Track is aligned with the construction chronogram of the Olympic Park, which was commonly agreed between the Brazilian Auto Racing Confederation (CBA), Rio de Janeiro Municipal Government and the Rio Mais Consortium. New auto racing venues will be built by the State government in Deodoro region.

The PPP that allowed the local infrastructure also guarantees the construction of a 400-room hotel, the Main Press Centre and three pavilions which will host the future Training Olympic Centre (COT) for high-performance athletes.

Rio de Janeiro Municipal Government will also be responsible for the Olympic Park construction through federal funds. This equipment is not contemplated within the PPP’s and the Federal Government’s scope, such as the Aquatic Park, the Tennis Centre, and the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC), among others.

Foundation Stone of the Olympic Park Rio 2016™ (Photo: Divulgation)

Environmental Preservation

Environmental preservation is one of the principles that govern the construction works of the Olympic Park, in which 100% of the waste will be reused. The emphasis on the environment has been thought through since the elaboration of the international competition which selected the Master Plan, held in August 2011.

In addition to defining public space areas (streets, open spaces, accesses, etc) in both Games and legacy modes, the winning urban proposal of England’s Aecom foresees the transition between these two scenarios.

The project contemplates the ecologic recovery of the lagoon located in the area’s surroundings, accessibility, use of sustainable technological innovations and security. The Olympic Park’s infrastructure will have a water treatment system through natural filtration of water drainage, landscaping, lighting and paving roads.