It is looking for design teams for the basketball and fencing arenas that can provide innovative and practical design solutions for what it considers to be unusually large temporary sporting facilities.

 

The basketball arena requires a 12,000 seating capacity, while the fencing arena will need to seat 8,000 spectators.

 

The basketball arena will also host the wheelchair rugby and basketball during the Paralympics while the fencing venue will be downsized to 4,000 for the Paralympics.

 

Both venues must be lightweight, economical, and simple to assemble and dismantle.

 

The Official Journal of the European Union contract notice for basketball and fencing venue design teams will be followed later this year by design team contracts for the hockey stadiums and facilities at Eton Manor, which will be a training area during the Olympic Games and which will host archery and tennis events during the Paralympic Games.

 

“We are looking for solutions that combine design flair and innovation with practicality and cost efficiency,” said ODA design and regeneration director Alison Nimmo.

 

“At the same time we are investigating how these facilities could be best utilised after the Games.”

 

ODA principal design advisor Ricky Burdett said: “We are looking for multi-disciplinary design teams to think creatively not only about how these important temporary venues will be designed but also how they will be engineered and delivered.

 

"It is a challenge.”

 

The deadline for design teams to submit Pre-Qualification Questionnaires is June £. The ODA intends to shortlist between five and eight design teams to tender for each venue, with appointment expected in the Autumn.

 

The procurement of construction contractors will begin in early 2008 with construction due to complete in 2011 ahead of test events.

 

The ODA said they arelooking to procure individual venue design teams although designers may bid for more than one package.