FOAMHAND has a reputation for successfully planning and delivering major event projects on the global stage as seen through recent major events such as the London 2017 IAAF World Championships, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, America’s Cup Bermuda 2017 and even NFL’s Super Bowl 50. With on-going projects for the next Commonwealth Games host city Gold Coast 2018 and the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang 2018 FOAMHAND are helping to ensure you, your teams, contractors and event partners are ready.

Being Operationally Prepared – Case Study: London 2017

At the start of 2017, FOAMHAND were commissioned by the local organising committee for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships in 2017. Our main objective to review the anticipated event-time operations, facilitate operational readiness desktop exercises, and develop an appropriate Command, Coordination and Communication (C3) architecture that would support the safe running and coordination of the event.

With 24 weeks to go before the event started to receive its first arrivals there was a significant time pressure to ensure functional areas were familiar with their operational plans and were appropriately tested. Our team’s aim was to quickly evaluate the level of preparedness of all functional areas, highlight areas of potential risk and identify opportunities prior to the ‘Summer of World Athletics’.

Adam Down FOAMHAND CEO said “Readiness is not just a box on the organisational chart to give comfort to executives, nor is it something that can be purchased. For teams to ‘be ready’ is a state of preparedness that takes time, effort and commitment from everyone involved.”

Building on our team’s existing relationships with local partners, combined with our international event operations experience, enabled our team to quickly establish a Readiness Road Map for London 2017. The readiness programme provided direction to the functional areas and highlighted the touch points for interoperability, whilst reassuring senior management and financial investors.

As is often the case in major events, time and resource constraints meant that functional areas focus on their own operating plan and fail to discover the reliance placed upon them in other operating plans being developed across the organising committee. This gap becomes far more difficult to bridge the closer you are to the event.

In parallel, the FOAMHAND team was tasked to design and build a trusted Central Operations Management Centre that could support functional area operations and coordinate the Organising Committee event-time delivery. A key challenge balancing the expectations of external partners, many of whom had significant involvement with London 2012 Olympics only five years earlier in the same venue. This balancing act needed to meet the available budget and resources in comparison to the “greatest show on earth” as the Olympics is often referred to. Events smaller in scale but in many cases no less complex do not have the financial flexibility to over-scope facilities as a risk mitigation measure - which is usually central to any business case justification and is regularly discussed in post event lessons learned sessions.

FOAMHAND used their team’s delivery of the Readiness Programme for London 2017 to illustrate the importance of readiness at all levels to the functional areas, showcasing best practice for Venue based workshops and understanding the ‘Client Journeys’. Our readiness desktop exercises provided a platform to evaluate multiple scenarios in a safe environment to support learning, process improvement and ensure plans were deliverable. The most valuable outcome was taking staff and partners on the journey to becoming operationally ready to assist in the creation of what became the Championship Coordination Centre (CCC); a compact but agile C3 centre specifically designed for the event by FOAMHAND. During the event, the CCC was carefully resourced by the right mixture of event professionals, planning oversight, communications specialists, volunteer radio loggists, and all managed by FOAMHAND. The CCC enabled London 2017 to engage and respond to external partners, coordinate its own operations beyond the main venue footprint, and seamlessly integrate with the existing operations of both the London Stadium and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Cherry Alexander MBE, Managing Director for London 2017 and Major Events Director for UK Athletics, said: “FOAMHAND were flexible and accommodating of our programme and broader needs. They were able to use their experience to quickly enhance the deliverables and understand our constraints. Their team also had the capability to assist with our response to evolving challenges arising from the recent terror attacks within the UK in the run up to the Championships. This helped to ensure our LOC felt confident and ready to deliver two successful World Championships”.

The World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Athletics Championships were held in July and August 2017 at the London Stadium on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This was the first time both events have been held in the same summer in the same host city. With 20 days of sporting drama and 3,300 athletes from around the globe competing in 245 events and almost 1 million ticket spectators it truly was a ‘Summer of World Athletics’.

City Operations & Precision Planning 

FOAMHAND is a global major events consultancy specialising in four critical event planning disciplines with a focus on core themes of integration, seamless spectator journeys and event readiness.

We use specialist online tools to enhance collaboration; and have world class experts in crowd modelling and dynamics. FOAMHAND are currently engaged by the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Committee to provide crowd flow modelling and management across all competition venues and were engaged by the Rio 2016 Organising Committee to support crowd and transport management operations for the Rio 2016 Opening ceremony.

With offices in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, we work with city planners, event organisers around the world to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all, offering expert knowledge from our team’s major event experience which is founded on the planning and delivery of over 40 global events over the last decade.

All our team have first-hand experience of event day delivery and use this valuable knowledge to support clients by providing ‘real world’ practical solutions. For an event to be successful for strategic supporters, funders and governments, a city needs to keep working. Our ‘one team, one plan’ approach to event planning considers a broad range of factors, identifies partner agencies and influential stakeholders, and engages them in the process as early as possible. FOAMHAND bring this all together in the run up to a major event with functional area engagement workshops and various readiness activities to ensure confidence is high, teams and functions are integrated, and clients receive the levels of service as planned.

This article was written by FOAMHAND. For further information please visit www.foamhand.com or contact the team on +44 (0) 207 205 4105, info@foamhand.com or @foam_hand

Populous, the global architecture and design practice, has completed work on the redevelopment of the Warner Stand at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London – the UK’s largest cricket ground and host of matches in the upcoming 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup and 2019 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

Venue owner Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)’s Assistant Secretary (Estates) Robert Ebdon said, “MCC is very proud of its history of commissioning individual stands and buildings at Lord’s, each with their own character. With their vision for the new Warner Stand, Populous has designed an architecturally distinctive and pioneering building which has enhanced the aesthetics of the ground while delivering world-class functionality.”

The new stand replaces the original 1950s Warner Stand, which was considered unfit for purpose. What was once one of the worst stands in world Cricket is now leading the way.

“It is a privilege for the practice to add to the wonderful heritage of the ‘Home of Cricket’,” said Philip Johnson, Populous Senior Principal and Project Lead.

“The new Warner Stand has been designed to complement the existing campus of buildings at Lord’s, providing excellent views of the action, world-class match control facilities, a number of bars, and a new restaurant with fantastic views overlooking the ground. Lord’s has a special place in the hearts of cricketers and fans, and this new stand will help cement its position as the finest cricket ground in the world.”

Located between the Grade II listed Pavilion and the Grand Stand, the new Warner Stand has been designed to deliver an enhanced spectator experience and a significant upgrade to facilities.

Views and accessibility have been improved while the time taken to travel between the seats and amenities has been decreased.

A new “futureproof” Match Control Suite exceeds ICC (International Cricket Council) and ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) standards.

The venue has 100 days on non-cricket events each year and income from these events will be boosted by revitalised hospitality facilities, including a restaurant, bars at all levels and catering outlets. The enlarged, 135-cover restaurant occupies features a glazed wall with impressive large sash windows along the side of the room facing the pitch, offering stunning views over Lord’s.

The project team included consulting engineers Arup and contractor BAM Construct Ltd, who selected a white, translucent insulating tensile fabric membrane from Tayo for the roof over the restaurant - the first use in Europe of this aerogel-coated fabric.

In addition to Tayo’s roof, other subcontracted elements included glazing from Fleetwood, in-situ concrete from GCL, precast concrete from Creagh of Northern Ireland, and staircases and glass balustrading from Structural Stairways.

The fabric roof is supported by American White Oak beams that form a series of structural ‘ribs’, which cantilever over the seating tier, radiating from the corner of the Ground in a form reminiscent of a spreading palm leaf. Rainwater runs back to the rear where it is collected at basement level and stored to flush lavatories.

In addition to rainwater recycling, a green roof over the rear part of the building and green walls on the garden facade, solar thermal and photovoltaic roof panels have been incorporated into the roof to generate hot water and electricity. Boreholes and ground source heat pumps are also an integral part of the energy system, making the heating and cooling system carbon neutral.

Populous will continue to work with MCC developing its masterplan for the venue as a whole. According to MCC, the overall redevelopment plan is scheduled to continue through to 2029 and will cost a total £180-200m.

The future development of the ground will further boost its ability to host non-cricket events, including a £42m new East Gate building including a multi-function hall scheduled for completion by 2024.

On Thursday 16 March the UK’s sports industry is teaming up with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to take advantage of future global sporting events, taking the success and expertise of the London 2012 Games overseas.

DIT’s annual Global Sports Projects Conference, in London, offers UK companies advice and shared insight into working overseas on sporting projects, and gives tips on best practice, potential pitfalls and the support available.

The UK has long established a worldwide reputation for organising first-class sporting events across the country and overseas. These events have helped to boost economic growth and in 2015, the sport sector contributed £35 billion to the UK economy, increasing by 2.2 per cent since 2014.

International Trade Minister Mark Garnier said: “From Wimbledon to the Grand National, the United Kingdom is renowned for its love of sport and we can use our first-class expertise to help deliver of some of the world’s most exciting major sporting events.

“It’s an open goal for UK companies as there is a global demand for UK goods and services across the sporting world. My department is committed to helping businesses realise their exporting potential and we even want more companies to take full advantage of the opportunities that open up to them.”

The UK has a major sports legacy and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is widely recognised as one of the most successful Games in history. By 2020, it’s expected to have contributed between £28 billion and £41 billion to the UK economy.

Since 2012 the UK has successfully staged more than 70 major sporting events including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and World Track Championships in 2016. The UK also hosted the most economically successful Rugby World Cup ever in 2015.

Last summer, DIT also directly helped over 40 companies secure business in excess of £150 million for Rio 2016. Looking ahead to future events, the UK has also secured the right to host over 20 Olympic and Paralympic events at European or World level, including 15 World and European Championships.

The Global Sports Projects Conference takes place at Plexal on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park where more than 140 businesses are expected to attend to hear about their exporting opportunities.

It’s a day of panel discussions, presentations and networking; with DIT offering specialist advice to helping UK companies export to their respective markets.

Businesses will be given expert help to capitalise on export opportunities for major sporting events like the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic & Paralympic Games and the growing football sector in China and India.

Lee Valley Regional Park is a unique 10,000 acre destination for sport, leisure and nature, stretching 26 miles from the banks of the River Thames in east London into the counties Essex and Hertfordshire.

There are almost 7 million visits to the Regional Park each year, with people taking part in a variety of activities; from sport in inspirational world class venues to enjoying open spaces that are home to a variety of British wildlife.

The park, which is run by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, was created by a 1967 Act of Parliament for the “development, preservation and management for recreation, sport, entertainment and the enjoyment of leisure” for the people of London, Essex and Hertfordshire.

Large scale sports venues have always been part of the Regional Park and today the Authority owns three London 2012 Olympic venues. Two of these are located on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: Lee Valley VeloPark, which offers the four Olympic cycling disciplines; track in the iconic London 2012 velodrome, BMX on a modified version of the Olympic track, road on a one mile circuit and mountain biking on a set of graded trails; and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre which has two state-of-the art hockey pitches and four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts. The third, Lee Valley White Water Centre is 10 miles north of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It staged the London 2012 Canoe Slalom competition and has two separate white water courses for training, rafting and paddling activities as well as cafes, viewing areas and meeting rooms.

The Authority raises 65 per cent of its £29 million gross budget from commercial and other operations while the remainder comes from a levy on households in London, Essex and Hertfordshire – around 88 pence per person annually. It has many years’ experience of running sports venues that are community focused and commercially driven, where comprehensive community programmes are run alongside income generating activities and elite competitions. This same business model has been adopted at its three London 2012 venues, which offer a range of events and programmes for all abilities.

“Our venues have brought some of the world’s top sporting events to London, providing great entertainment and excitement and allowing Londoners and sports fans from across the UK to experience the very best in sporting competition,” says Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

“The hosting of major international events is a central 2012 legacy objective which sees these venues continue to inspire future generations.”

Established venues that predate the Games include Lee Valley Riding Centre, which specialises in catering for disabled riders, children and a range of horse enthusiasts, and Lee Valley Ice Centre - one of the UK’s leading ice rinks which attracts 300,000 visits a year.

Hosting grassroots and elite

Since opening, the Authority’s three London 2012 venues have staged 17 top international level sporting events. They also hosted more than a quarter of the Every Road to Rio London events, which brought the world’s leading athletes to the capital.

In June 2015, eight times Olympic medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins broke the one hour world track record in Lee Valley VeloPark’s velodrome before a sell-out crowd of 6,000. In March 2016, the venue hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships and also regularly hosts the Revolution Series, Britain’s top commercial track cycling competition.

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has staged the Champions Trophy in June 2016 between the best 10 men’s and women’s teams. In 2015 it staged the Unibet EuroHockey Championships, which was the sport’s biggest event of the year.

In September 2015, Lee Valley White Water Centre was home to the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, the largest international canoeing event outside of the Olympic Games.

These major events dovetail with extensive activities – more than 80% of programming - which is reserved for community, clubs and school groups, a key part of the Authority’s Olympic legacy drive. More than 5,000 children from over 400 schools from across London and further afield have enjoyed free paddling, tennis, hockey and cycling in these inspirational London 2012 venues thanks to the Authority’s Schools Festival outreach programme.

Events already secured for 2017 include Revolution Cycling Champions League, Six Day London and cycling events of the London Youth Games, Europe’s largest youth sports festival comprising 30 different sports. 

In June, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre will stage the Men’s World Hockey League with some of the sport’s leading international men’s teams. In November it will host the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters for the fourth time, with the top eight seeded international men’s and women’s players playing for the title.

Music’s biggest stars will head to London in November when the UK capital hosts the MTV European Music Awards (EMAs) for the first time in 21 years.

The 24th annual awards show will take over the city’s SSE Arena, Wembley on November 12 and will feature performances from some of the biggest acts on the planet.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was delighted to announce the news. He said: “After two decades away, the MTV EMAs are returning to electrify the greatest city in the world once again. It promises to be an absolutely incredible evening, featuring some of the globe’s top artists and watched by millions.

“London is the natural city to host one of the greatest musical shows on earth – with our exceptional musical history, wealth of creative talent and outstanding venues – we’re the entertainment capital of the world.”

The EMAs were first held in Berlin in 1994 and last year Rotterdam hosted with Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber picking up gongs. London first held the event in 1996 and other British host cities include Edinburgh, Liverpool, Belfast and Glasgow.

“I think we are the entertainment capital of the world,” Khan added. “There was a view after Brexit that we were going to stop being outward-looking, a concern we would be insular and no longer the city we are known for. The announcement shows we are open for creativity, talent and entertainment.

“I was shocked that it has been two decades since the MTV EMAs was here. We are going to have a great year, and this November we will prove that London is the capital of the universe.”

David Lynn, chief executive of Viacom International Media Networks, MTV’s parent company,  said: “London is arguably the world’s musical epicentre and it’s both a huge privilege and opportunity to bring the MTV EMAs 2017 to the UK’s capital city.”

John Langford is joining AEG as Vice President and General Manager of The O2 in London on 1 November. The move follows three years as Director of Live Entertainment at The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow, including The SSE Hydro arena.

Shortly after starting the new role he will be speaking at Host City 2016, the leading conference and exhibition for cities and sports, cultural and business events. He will be speaking on November 22 in Glasgow on the subject of “Creating Entertaining Experiences for Visitors” alongside other global leaders in staging major events.

Leading the team at The O2, Langford will be responsible for the overall operational management, commercial delivery, event booking and content creation at the London venue as well as setting the vision and strategy. Reporting directly to AEG Europe’s SVP Facilities, Richard Krezwick, he takes over as the venue approaches its tenth birthday in 2017.

John Langford also sits on the board of the European Arenas Association.

"With John’s knowledge of the music and entertainment business world and his proven track record in the venue management business, I know he’ll do a fantastic job,” said Krezwick. “John inherits a tremendously talented team at The O2 which will certainly make for a seamless transition and a bright future ahead.”

Langford’s leadership was pivotal in transforming The SSE Hydro into one of the world’s leading entertainment venues, during which time the arena significantly added to group profitably and economic impact for the City of Glasgow.  Prior to the SECC, he spent seven years as Chief Operating Officer at BIG Concerts International, Africa’s premier concert promoter and previously at senior management roles in the commercial radio industry.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at AEG and The O2,” he said.

“I have always admired the impact that The O2 has on the live entertainment industry and I am greatly honoured that I can play a part in the future growth of this iconic venue.  I will miss my colleagues at the SECC tremendously and I wish them well as their incredibly successful journey continues.”

According to AEG, The O2 is the world’s most popular music and entertainment venue. Since opening in 2007, it has been visited by more than 60 million people and picked up awards including: Venue of the Year at the Music Week Awards, Venue of the Year at the Event Awards, Venue of the Year at the AEO Awards, Pollstar International Arena of the Year (nine consecutive years), Venue Team of the Year at the Event Awards, Best New Major Concert Venue, Venue of the Year at The Event Services Association and Favourite Venue at the TPI Awards.

In addition to the arena, The O2 is also home to indigo at The O2, a live performance space; an 11-screen Cineworld complex; Up at The O2 – an experience that allows visitors to walk across the roof of The O2; Brooklyn Bowl - a 12-lane bowling alley, 800 capacity live music space and 130 cover restaurant, and The Avenue, which features 26 bars and restaurants.

Read the exclusive Host City interview with John Langford here.

London’s first Lumiere light festival closed on Sunday 17th January at 10.30pm, having transformed the city’s streets and buildings with 30 spectacular artworks. First estimates put the numbers of visitors at over 1 million attending the festival over four evenings.

Developed by creative producers Artichoke and supported by the Mayor of London, Lumiere London turned King’s Cross and London’s West End, including Leicester Square, Piccadilly, Regent Street, St James’s and Carnaby into a magical pedestrian playground and encouraged Londoners and tourists alike to explore the heart of the capital and view it in a new light.

“I am thrilled by the success of Lumiere London, which has brought a wonderful burst of imagination, colour and creativity to our city’s streets in the middle of cold, dark January. It could not have happened without the input and support of the many businesses and agencies who helped to make it happen,” said the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

“We have been astounded by the crowds, which exceeded all our expectations and brought a boost to the West End and King’s Cross and are delighted by the response, not just from Londoners, but visitors from around the world.”

Lumiere was created by Artichoke in Durham in 2009, and has been recommissioned by Durham County Council every two years since then. In 2013, Artichoke also produced Lumiere in Derry~Londonderry UK City of Culture, commissioned by Culture Company 2013. In November 2015, the festival returned to Durham for the fourth time, attracting an estimated 200,000 visitors to the city.

“It’s been an unprecedented four nights for London and the turnout has been extraordinary,” said Helen Marriage, Director of Artichoke. 

“Over a million people came to experience something truly magical and unusual: this great world city turned into a temporary pedestrian playground.

“While the success of the festival did mean that contingency measures had to be put into place occasionally to help keep the crowds moving, the atmosphere has always been amazing. This festival has been about more than seeing the art. It’s about people sharing public space and re-discovering the city’.”

Over 200 volunteers from across the capital were recruited to support the festival through Team London, the Mayor’s volunteering programme for London.

Business boost

The festival is said to have brought a significant year-on-year uplift in food and beverage sales to businesses in London’s West End and King’s Cross, with anecdotal reports of double digit growth from restaurants, cafes and bars.

With founding support from Atom Bank, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Heart of London Business Alliance, London & Partners and King’s Cross, plus additional support from a host of partners and sponsors, including Westminster City Council, Lumiere London presented installations by 30 international artists, at some of the city’s most iconic locations. 

The creative power of Lumiere was accompanied by a boost to business in the city. Karen Baines, Heart of London Business Alliance representing over 500 businesses and 100 property owners in Leicester Square, Piccadilly and St James's said “The atmosphere in Leicester Square, Piccadilly and St James’s has been absolutely electric with footfall increasing by 18% year on year on Thursday and Friday from 6pm to 11pm, as visitors flocked from far and wide to see our globally renowned cultural landmarks transformed.

“Our vibrant evening economy saw a significant boost with West End restaurants, cafes and bars reporting double digit growth in sales as visitors made the most of what was on offer to make it a night out and an evening to remember.”

How London came to life

Audiences from across the world were enthralled by artworks including a glowing tropical garden filled with giant plants in Leicester Square Gardens and a technicolour animation featuring the faces of some of the UK’s best-loved TV and film stars, projected onto BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly. At Oxford Circus, which was closed to traffic during the festival, people lay on their backs gazing up at 1.8 London, Janet Echelman’s beautifully illuminated aerial sculpture strung between buildings at Oxford Circus.

Along Regent Street, pedestrianised for the event, crowds gathered to see Elephantastic!, a 3D, larger-than-life projected elephant stomping through the Air Street arch, while in St James’s visitors gazed at the ethereal Les Voyageurs – sculpted human forms flying high above the buildings. At Westminster Abbey, audiences stood mesmerized by The Light of the Spirit, a digital painting by French artist Patrice Warrener, who had bathed the Abbey’s West Gate in an electric riot of colour. 

In Carnaby, on Broadwick Street, visitors gathered around Julian Opie’s animated LED monolith – Shaida Walking. The piece has been commissioned as a permanent installation and will be illuminated during the day as well as at night.

Aquarium, Benedetto Bufalino & Benoit Deseille’s iconic red telephone box filled with exotic fish at Grosvenor Square, was a firm festival favourite, drawing audiences to the leafy garden square in Mayfair. The square was also a temporary home to Elaine Buckholtz’s abstract digital painting, which uses light and music to re-imagine Van Gogh’s painting All Night Café.

Hundreds of Londoners of all ages played their part in the festival: from donating a recycled plastic bottle to the glowing Plastic Islands installation by Luzinterruptus in the Trafalgar Square fountains, to appearing on film in the spectacular Circus of Light projected onto the Granary Building at King’s Cross. 500 children also took part in workshops at schools in the area to help make Joining the Dots and Litre of Light, both also at King’s Cross. 

Founding Partner Bloomberg Philanthropies and Artichoke also hosted a sold-out Lumiere London Symposium, “The Heart and Soul of the City”. Speakers including Lumiere London artists, cultural pioneers and leading policy makers, shared their visions for the public realm, and how artists and communities can transform it.