Play the Game - Lessons from London's Olympic Transformation

How does a neglected industrial landscape become the setting for one of the world's most ambitious urban regeneration projects? What does it take to align governments, businesses, communities and investors behind a shared vision for change?

Beca and The Urban Room Foundation are delighted to host Dr Michael Owens, co-author of Play the Game: How the Olympics Came to East London, for an engaging exploration of the planning, politics and partnerships that transformed London's Lower Lea Valley into the site of the 2012 Olympic Games and one of Europe's most significant regeneration programmes.

Drawing on first-hand experience and interviews with the people who conceived, planned and delivered the project, Michael offers a unique insider perspective on how London used the Olympic Games as a catalyst for long-term economic, social and physical transformation. The discussion will explore the realities of delivering complex projects across multiple organisations, balancing competing interests, securing investment, engaging communities and creating a legacy that extends well beyond a single event.

As New Zealand considers its own approaches to regional development, growth planning and infrastructure delivery, the story of East London provides valuable insights into how ambitious visions can be translated into lasting change. Themes of leadership, governance, infrastructure, investment, community participation and legacy will be explored through the lens of one of the most remarkable urban transformations of recent decades.

Part history, part insider account and part reflection on the challenges of large-scale change, this event will be of interest to planners, local government leaders, infrastructure professionals, developers, academics and anyone interested in the future of cities and regions.

The Urban Room Foundation is grateful for the continued support from Beca on important city shaping conversations.

‍

‍