Designating the Olympics: London 2012, a national heritage asset? Stella Jackson, University of York,

Overview ●What is heritage? ●Becoming Heritage ●Sports Heritage ●The Olympics as Cultural Heritage ●Listing ●Designating the 2012 Olympic stadium

What is Heritage? ● Difficult to define ● Experiences and memories ● A commodity ● Tangible vs Intangible ● Objects vs Processes ● Natural vs Cultural ● Official vs Unofficial Heritage is a cultural construction

Becoming Heritage Things become heritage when we ascribe value to them Memories and community remembrance ensure a major national event becomes valued in the present Heritage is a cultural construction, its appearance and meanings are dependant on a process of selection and intervention

Sports Heritage Used in the creation of collective memory – stadiums/grounds are a tangible reminder of local memories, hopes and dreams Britain has a rich and diverse sporting heritage Olympic traditions add an extra layer of significance to the London 2012 site

The Olympics as Cultural Heritage Almost every Olympic city has some form of legacy: ● Buildings ● Souvenirs ● Memorabilia ● Street Names ● Anniversaries & post- games celebrations London 2012 can already be defined as heritage

Listing Wembley Stadium, Grade II Empire Pool, Wembley Grade II Common- wealth Pool, Edinburgh Grade A

Listing Buildings must be at least ten years old to be listed Those less than 30 years old must be of outstanding quality and under threat Centre Point, LondonWillis Faber building, Ipswich

Designating the 2012 Stadium Listing Criteria: ● Age ● Architectural Interest ● Illustrate important aspects of social, economic, cultural or military history ● Close historical association with a nationally important event ● Group Value

Architectural Interest ● Unique and Innovative ● Respected Architect & Design Team ● A departure from traditional stadia design ● The park will be ‘an architectural statement in 2012’

Historic Interest The legacy programme of the ODA focuses on the social, economic and cultural aspects of the site post-games ● Profound and lasting legacy ● Inspiration for young people ● A new era in community & urban development ● Benefits for decades to come

Historic Associations Historic associations must be shown in the fabric of the building, e.g. war memorials, structures built for the Festival of Britain etc. Royal Festival Hall, Lambeth, Grade I ● 2012 is a nationally important event ● The first city to host the games for a third time ● Designed specifically for the event ● Unique structure, neither stadium from the 1908 and 1948 games survives

Group Value The 2012 Olympic park has been designed and planned as an integrated ‘quarter’, which will be used by a new community post-games ● An architectural grouping ● A fine example of planning ● A showcase for British architecture & design

Conclusion Except for age, all of the criteria for listing are met by the London 2012 Olympic stadium, and although it cannot be listed until 2022, it can already be defined as cultural heritage through the shared experiences, memories, and values of those in the present