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2005 News and Information

Heron Provides Inspiration for Richmond Oval

20 December 2005

The graceful and elegant heron, revered in cultures around the world and the official symbol of the City of Richmond, has helped provide the inspiration for the architectural design of the Richmond Oval, home of the speed skating competition for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Richmond Council approved the conceptual Form and Character schematic design for the Richmond Oval at its regular meeting on December 19, 2005. The concept will now be used to guide the detailed design of the building.

The conceptual design is centred on the three themes of Flow, Flight and Fusion, which celebrate the unique characteristics of the Oval site amid beautiful natural surroundings on the banks of the Fraser River and Richmond’s rich history as a culturally diverse and dynamic community, while also highlighting the functional aspects of the building, before, during and after the 2010 Games.

  • Flow in its three principal states (smooth laminar, transitional and turbulent) is the idea which synthesizes the multitude of site and building activities. In its interior and exterior this place celebrates our existence in the daily and seasonal cycles of sun, water, earth and wind. Here we find the rigorous order of the city’s built environment giving way to the natural order of the river’s edge
  • Flight represents the embodiment of the elite human spirit and our aspirations for the development of both mind and body. For the speed skater, years of rigorous preparation culminates in the turbulence of the Olympic event. For the individual in the community an opportunity is presented to enrich the daily routine by entering an oasis, an environment dedicated to the potential of the human body
  • Fusion of the physical elements of flow and the spiritual elements of flight is attained in the creation of a unique and inspirational environment which enhances the culture of the City of Richmond, the region and country. The estuary, like Canada, is both diverse and interconnected, fluid and elemental, powerful and calm
The  heron is celebrated in a series of feathered roof spans which tail off the edge of the building to create porches that will serve as outdoor gathering spaces. The roofline of the Oval also mirrors the outline of the stylized heron which is centrepiece of the City’s logo. Herons are a common sight on the banks of the Fraser River immediately in front of the Oval, where they can often be spotted fishing at low tide.

The three primary themes are reflected in a number of striking features of the building design, including the glassed northern side of the building, which will provide spectacular views to the Fraser River and the North Shore mountains beyond and innovative water features, created from the recycling of storm water runoff gathered from the Oval’s enormous roof.

The Richmond Oval is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. Site compaction and densification is now under way with building construction scheduled to begin in May of 2006.

During the Olympics, the Oval will seat approximately 8,000 spectators and be home to up to 12 medal events. Post- Games, the Oval will be a multi-purpose centre of excellence for sports and wellness. it will also be the centrepiece of a major new urban waterfront neighbourhood to be built on the 32-acre Oval site.

See Project Overview for more information and illustrations.