Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park spreads across four east London boroughs, covering parts of Stratford, Hackney Wick, Leyton and Bow. Built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, it replaced a patchwork of former industrial land and Hackney Marshes. The park now contains the London Stadium, the Aquatics Centre, the Copper Box Arena and the ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower. Five new neighbourhoods were created within the park, including East Wick in Hackney and Chobham Manor in Newham. The park’s design was led by the EDAW Consortium with landscape architects LDA Design and planting specialists from the University of Sheffield. The park’s legacy includes major sporting events such as the Invictus Games and the London Grand Prix athletics series. It also hosts cultural institutions like the V&A East museum and Sadler’s Wells’ new theatre, both opening in 2026. The Legacy List charity runs art and education programmes across the site. Over 80,000 workers helped build the park, and its construction involved removing 52 electricity pylons and cleaning contaminated soil. A Roman village was discovered during excavation beneath the site. Visitors walk through restored wetland habitats and perennial meadows designed by Nigel Dunnett and Sarah Price. The ArcelorMittal Orbit offers views from Britain’s largest public artwork. East Village provides 3,600 apartments alongside Stratford City’s shops and transport links. The Lee Valley VeloPark and Hockey and Tennis Centre remain in use for community and elite sport. The park’s lighting scheme, by Speirs + Major, transforms the landscape at night.