Posted on February 9, 2018
Olympic Sports, Speed and Solutions
The arena is filled to the brim with athletes, judges, family and friends. Every person in the audience exudes an undying pride for their country. The Olympic Games captures the world’s attention with spectacular sights, sounds and athletic ability.
When Olympic athletes are performing on their mat, mountain or track, the magnitude of the facilities that pop up across the world almost goes unnoticed.
While these athletes are preparing their minds and bodies to achieve peak condition, Olympic committees are facing tight deadlines to design and build world-class sporting venues to welcome them onto their stage. Behind the scenes, the Games begin before a single Olympian sets foot on the field or a ski in the snow, as nations compete for the title of Olympic host. Countries face off for an opportunity to win this combination of capital projects, a tourism boost and a chance to showcase their home to spectators visiting from more than 200 countries across the globe.
Speed of Installation
Vancouver Convention Centre is one of the largest convention centers in Canada, serving as the international broadcast center for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. On-time completion of this project was paramount, which was why contractors Fred Welsh and Alpha Mechanical chose Victaulic’s AGS system and QuickVic™ Installation-Ready™ couplings.
The 100,000 seat Sydney Olympic Stadium in Australia was designed to be the centerpiece of the Summer Olympic Games in 2000. Victaulic products were specified on all the hot water, chilled water and fire protection systems throughout this premier venue to help compress the construction schedule and reduce the project calendar days.
Original Solutions
The Bird’s Nest, home to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 29th Summer Olympic Games hosted in Beijing, China, boasted a sustainable yet challenging design—symbolizing a new page in China’s construction history. To accommodate the HVAC infrastructure in one of the world’s most highly active seismic areas, Victaulic flexible pipe joining solutions were selected. Featuring 110,000 tons of curved steel, the National Stadium remains one of the most impressive architectural feats with its retractable roof.
A Track Record of Innovation
From Athens to Atlanta, Victaulic solutions have a proven record of successful Olympic facility construction. Since 1976, more than 25 Olympic facilities to date have used grooved products for HVAC, fire protection systems and other applications, including the following Games:
- 2016 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 2012 – London, England, United Kingdom
- 2010 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2008 – Beijing, China
- 2006 – Torino (Turin), Italy
- 2004 – Athens, Greece
- 2002 – Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- 2000 – Sydney, Australia
- 1996 – Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- 1988 – Calgary, Canada
- 1976 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Learn more about Victaulic’s Advanced Groove System (AGS™) and Installation™ Ready™ Technology.
