Lead Architect Quits Olympic Project

One of the architects on the Olympic village for London 2012 has walked off the development amid concerns over the design quality of the £1bn project, according to reports in Building Magazine

Ian Ritchie Architects, which had been commissioned by Lend Lease in May to design one of the scheme’s blocks, was one of 11 appointed to design the village. It is understood the practice has left because of concerns over the design quality of the proposed 3,000-home scheme.

Nigel Hugill, chairman of Lend Lease, said Ritchie had left the scheme because he was too busy, but that he was still on the 47-strong framework from which the village architects are drawn.

The ODA says it is hopeful that Lend Lease will take an equity stake in the project by the end of the year, but Greg Clarke, the Lend Lease chief executive, said this was dependent on the state of the credit markets. It is believed there is currently a £400m shortfall in funding.

The village has already been scaled back owing to concern that the credit crunch will affect the eventual sale of the houses. Its floor area has been reduced from 4m to 3m sq ft.