Novità in rubriche – Focus

London 2012 and the Lower Lea Valley

Mega events, urban regeneration and environmental sustainability: London 2012 Olympic Games and the Lower Lea Valley.

Stefano Quaglia

In recent decades, the role of mega events as tools of urban regeneration has significantly grown in importance within the urban development strategies of cities, in particular in post-Fordist metropolises where the relocation of industries and outsourcing economy have left a physical, economic and social emptiness.

In this context, the Olympic Games, thanks to the huge economic resources that can ‘unlock’, represent an urban policy tool capable of driving synergies towards the implementation of large-scale urban plans.

Aim of this paper is a critical analysis, from an environmental sustainability point of view, of the Lower Lea Valley regeneration process triggered by the London’s Olympic Games in 2012.

STEFANO QUAGLIA

Urban and environmental planner, graduate in Planning and Policies for the City, Environment and Landscape, has gained a European Master in Planning and Policies for the Environment (IUAV-UTL). During the last year he has finalized his research activity on the urban regeneration triggered by mega events, deepening the cases of London 2012 Olympic Games and Expo Milan 2015 with a focus on their environmental policies strategies. Research interests: environmental conflicts, planning and management of green and blue infrastructures and climate change impacts on urban areas.