General Information

Located in the south-east corner of the Park, alongside Aquatic Centre and opposite the Stadium, the 5000-seat Water Polo Arena will host both the men’s and women’s water polo competitions. The building was constructed just within one year and contains a warm-up pool and a 37-metre competition pool.

Additional Information

The Aquatics Centre and Water Polo Arena are adjacent to each other in one of the most compact areas of the park. To make the best use of the space available, some back-of-house facilities, such as space for broadcasters, catering and security will be shared between the two venues. It is the first dedicated water polo venue to be built for the events, the structure will be taken down after the Games. Elements of the venue are expected to be reused or relocated.

Architecture: Highlights

The arena is distinguishable by its silver-coloured wrap and inflatable roof. To give the visitors a clear view, the architects created an innovative sloping design, which slopes upwards from 6 to 25 metres. Thus, the referee’s raised table used in water polo does not obscure the view for spectators who sit on the opposite side of the pool.

Architecture: Explained

Like in many other venues prepared for the events, numerous parts used in the construction, such as the temporary seating, have been hired so they may easily be returned and reused after the competition. The silver surface of the venue is made of an environmentally-friendly PVC that can also be recycled.

Events: Highlights

The water polo tournaments at the 2012 Games are scheduled to be held at the Water Polo Arena in the park from 29 July to 12 August. During water polo matches, the venue will hold 5,000 spectators. Twelve teams will compete in the men’s tournament and eight teams in the women’s tournament.