The new complex is named "VeloPark" and consists not only of the building itself of the velodrome for 6,000 spectators, but also of a series of facilities for cycling freestyle, mountain bike trails and road races. The latter two will be added after the conclusion of the 2012 Olympics, and all of them will be available to Londoners. It was this approach of the architect, who included structures for ordinary amateur athletes in the ensemble of the elite sports complex, that attracted the attention of the jury. Such a solution will allow VeloPark to enter the city's daily life as a public space, which will make it possible to fully use the sports complex after the Games.
The preliminary draft outwardly resembles a variation on the Mobius Strip theme (which is quite consistent with the function of the building, with its looping track), although some critics have compared it to a huge piece of chips.
The construction is scheduled to be completed in summer 2011, but it will not start earlier than two years from now: no contractor has yet been selected.
Competitors to the Hopkins bureau for the design of this Olympic sports complex included the workshops of FOA, Wilkinson Air, Dominique Perrault and David Chipperfield.
