27 July 2011 Last updated at 13:14

London 2012: Inside the Olympic Aquatics Centre

Inside the Aquatics centre, Olympic Park, London

The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre is located in the south of the Olympic Park and will be the main 'Gateway into the Games'

The roof which is 160m long and 90m at its widest point is a steel structure weighing over 3000 tonnes.

The centre has 9,000 tonnes of steel and the hardwood ceiling is made up of 37,000 individual strips.

Before construction could begin, 11 industrial buildings were demolished and around 160,000 tonnes of soil were dug out of what was one of the more polluted areas of the Olympic Park.

Four skeletons were discovered and removed from a prehistoric settlement discovered on the site of the centre.

The centre will have a capacity of 17,500 during the Games, hosting swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, and the swimming element of the Modern Pentathlon.

After the Games, the side seating wings will be removed and the venue capacity reduced to a maximum of 2,500, with the ability to add 1,000 seats for major events.

The edge of the pool showing the water level

The centre will provide two 50m swimming pools with moveable floors, a diving pool and dry diving area.

Over 850,000 ceramic tiles have been installed in the pools, pool side and changing rooms.

The three pools together hold a total of 10 million litres of water.

Ceiling lights in part of the access area of the Aquatics Centre

Construction of the centre started in June 2008 with over 3,630 people working on the venue. The unique design echoes the fluid forms of the ocean.

A whale motif appears throughout the design of the structure, from the curved flowing areas of corridors and concourse to the sweeping shape of the roof.

It continues in the structure of the diving platforms.

All of the bespoke diving boards were constructed on site.

They comprise: 3m springboards and platform boards at 10m, 7.5m, 5m and 3m.

The Aquatics Centre is the last of the permanent new Olympic Park venues to be completed. Photos: Emma Lynch/BBC.

In Pictures

London 2012: Inside the Olympic Aquatics Centre

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