NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
Amongst the 100+ projects we delivered in support of the Games, the following activities shaped key aspects of the event.
We authored the design standards for crowd movement and safety on behalf of ODA and LOCOG and developed the demand forecasts for the Olympic Park, combining these into the ‘Data Book’ that became the 'bible' for informing and assessing the design of infrastructure and venues.
Our demand forecasting and ticketing analysis led to the increase in tickets on sale, and generated additional revenue for LOCOG.
We led the ‘Operability’ consultancy team that combined crowd movement, accessibility, security and transport disciplines to develop the baseline Concept of Operations for the Olympic Park.
Our crowd modelling and simulation work and expertise was central to securing planning consents and safety licensing for the proposals.
Our dynamic crowd simulations informed the detailed design of many of the Olympic Park’s most critical nodes, including the Pedestrian Screening Areas.
RESULTS
We influenced the size, shape and design of most elements of the Olympic Park, including the Common Domain connecting the venues, the landscape, the security screening areas, all bridges (where we reduced their number and width saving tens of millions of pounds), the event overlay and Ceremonies. Our work extended outside the Park into the ‘Last Mile’ through Westfield Shopping Mall into the Olympic transport hubs, and to many other venues in London and around the country.
In parallel workstreams we undertook crowd modelling and operational planning for Stratford Station and other key London stations, such as London Bridge, St Pancras International and Charing Cross. During the Games our team members were embedded in the POC (Park Operations Centre) at the Olympic Park and the Event Control Room at ExCeL, managing the live crowd monitoring tool which supported management of the Park. Across London, other members of the team were embedded in TfL providing real-time intelligence to its senior managers on the performance of London’s transport network. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were regarded as the best ever and a great success for London. We made a substantial contribution to their success.
“On behalf of the Olympic Park Health, Safety & Licensing team it gives us considerable pleasure to thank you for your contribution to the London 2012 Games. It is wonderful that the Games were considered to be such a huge success and this may well not have been the case had it not been for your contribution. I can honestly say that the money I spent with your company was the best spent of my entire budget.
The fruits of your labours on crowd modelling proved to be vital to the safe running of the Olympic Park and were on display for all to see during the Games.”
David Demolder, Head of Health, Safety and Licensing, London 2012
"Movement Strategies were instrumental in creating a design for the Olympic Park which provided for flexibility in the Games-time operations while balancing the cost and legacy objectives of the ODA. This integration of operations into design is rarely achieved.Their credibility in crowd dynamics also ensured that the needs and experience of visitors were given full consideration in the value engineering process during the Games project. The holistic approach adopted by Simon and his team enabled us to create spaces that operated well, but were also embedded with a considered approach to place making and appropriately scaled places responding to the overall context of the Olympic Park setting.”
Kevin Owens, Design Principal, LOCOG