Tarmac provides centre piece at former Millenium Dome site
The O2 Arena, the eagerly awaited focal point for the former Millenium Dome site, has been constructed from precast concrete in a 1.5 million pound deal between Tarmac Precast and Sir Robert McAlpine.
The re-developed site is now a multi-activity entertainment complex, which will host a broad range of music and sporting events throughout the summer, and will also act as an Olympic venue in 2012. As the first purpose-built music venue to be created in London since the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, the O2 arena is set to be one of the most technologically advanced venues of its kind.
Tarmac Precast, one of the UK's leading suppliers of precast concrete, manufactured over 2,000 units for the arena development, including terracing units, vomitary walls and step blocks.
The Tarmac team used a special grade and colour of limestone fines from Tarmac Central's Ballidon quarry and worked closely together to produce an off-white concrete to tight tolerances with a slip resistant surface finish to meet the O2 Arena architect's exact requirements.
Andrew Veness, project manager at Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, said " We were aware of Tarmac Precast's proven ability to design, manufacture and deliver consistently high quality precast units from having worked with them previously. They co-ordinated rapid deliveries to enable installation of units within a short time period and provided a sustainable approach to construction with minimal wastage. The Tarmac team managed to keep pace with our requirements and overcame the additional pressures of changes to the programme and installation sequence."
Commenting on the project, Colin Richards, company quality manager at Tarmac Precast added: "This contract was very challenging due to the shape of the arena and the exact tolerances specified by the engineers and architects involved. The Precast team worked closely with the client from the negotiation phase to completion of the last units. The precast units were tested at our Tallington factory to ensure joint detail, colour, texture and dimensional accuracy."
For more information on Tarmac Precast stairs, walls and terracing products, visit www.tarmac.co.uk/precast or call the brochure request line on 08456 044 114, quoting code PR009.
