The company, who has previously built the highly-praised Stadium:MK and are currently working on Brighton & Hove Albion's new stadium, came out on top following, what the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), claimed was a "highly public" process.

 

They were chosen ahead of four other short listed companies, Byrne Group, Mansell Construction Services and Verry Construction.

 

Planning permission for the Handball Arena was granted last month and the site has been cleared ready for construction to start this summer.

 

Buckingham will be working with HOK Sport on the detailed design and construction of the Handball Arena.

 

The designers that created the sustainable and flexible design for the venue, Make Architects, will oversee the detailed design process on behalf of the ODA.

 

David Higgins, the chief executive of the ODA, said: “This appointment takes us a step closer towards a simple, sustainable and flexible Handball Arena that works for Games and legacy.

 

"Construction is on track to start this summer on the Arena which will provide a great experience for competitors and spectators during the Games and offer a new facility for local people to enjoy a range of sports in legacy.”

 

Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 chairman, said: “This is another example of the Games acting as a catalyst for change.

 

"This facility will be a high-quality venue at Games-time but also provides a legacy for sport in London and the UK .

 

"The fact that handball will have its own arena at Games-time will be a great boost to the sport in this country, and it will be a much used multi-purpose arena after the Games.”

 

The Handball Arena will be in the west of the Olympic Park, to the south of the Hockey Centre, within four minutes of the Olympic Village.

 

It will have up to 7,000 seats during the Games, hosting the handball preliminaries and quarter finals as well as the Modern Pentathlon discipline of fencing.

 

It will also be the goalball venue during the Paralympic Games.

 

In legacy mode after the Games, the Arena will become a multi-sports venue with retractable seating for 6,000 spectators and flexible facilities to hold a range of training and competition events of all levels.

 

It will cater for a wide-range of indoor sports including basketball, wheelchair basketball, boxing, handball, badminton, netball and volleyball, boosting the sporting facilities provided across the Olympic Park.

 

The Handball Arena, designed by Make Architects with PTW and Arup, features external copper cladding to give it a distinctive appearance that will develop a rich natural colour as it ages.

 

The concourse level features glazing which encircles the building, enabling visitors to the Olympic Park to view sport taking place inside, and illuminating the venue when lit at night. The venue also has a vibrant and multi-coloured interior, with retractable seating to create a flexible space and with 100 light pipes in the ceiling to allow natural light into the venue.

 

Jules Pipe, the elected Mayor of Hackney, said: “The new multi-sports venue is a major opportunity to develop a world class centre for Hackney which is accessible and suitable for a range of community sports as part of the legacy of the 2012 Games.

 

"The Council will continue working to ensure that it offers all our residents the chance to take part in sport and try out new activities." 

Related Stories:

February 2009:	London 2012 Handball Arena given go-ahead
November 2008:	Designs for 2012 Olympic handball arena revealed
September 2008:	Five firms shortlisted to build 2012 Handball Arena
August 2008:	London's handball arena unveiled
November 2007:	Team to design Olympic handball arena picked
August 2007:	World class design teams shortlisted for handball arena