The timber ceiling of the £303m London Olympics Aquatics Centre is taking shape.
The curved roof soffit is currently being lined with approximately 37,000 red louro timber strips, each 2.5m long. The red louro, a sustainably sourced Brazilian hardwood being supplied by Finnforest, has been chosen for its durability and its ability to withstand a humid environment.
The timber strips are being screwed to a substrate of counter battens fixed back to a Kerto sub-frame, which is suspended from the structural steel.
The strips had to be laid exactly parallel to the main pool to help swimmers doing backstroke to swim straight.
The installation team is having to ensure that the timber surface remains smooth and free-flowing without the need for breaks or seams.
Scaffolding is still covering the ceiling, but the Olympic Delivery Authority expects to release photos soon.
