RMJM sports design studio, John Pauline Architect, Architectural news, Scottish architecture office
RMJM sports design studio
John Pauline to lead new Architecture Practice
20 Apr 2009
RMJM appoints Olympic expert to lead new sports design studio
International architect RMJM is launching a new global sports design studio and has appointed a key designer of the Beijing Olympics ‘Watercube’, John Pauline, as its Design Principal.
Beijing Olympics Watercube:
RMJM sports design studio – Key Projects
RMJM, which designed the Convention Centre at the recent Beijing Olympics to host the biggest media centre in Olympian history and helped win the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bid, is aiming to build upon its recent success for its sport-related work with the launch of ‘RMJM Sport’. The new studio will be headed up by Pauline who is one of the world’s most experienced designers of sporting venues, having worked on projects at four Olympic Games.
In addition to being a key designer of the 2008 Olympic National Aquatic Centre (known as the Watercube) and Athletes’ Village at Beijing, Pauline also acted as a competition venue planning specialist to the Beijing Organising Committee. His expertise was also called upon by the Athens 2004 Olympic Organisation Committee, for which he was appointed as an expert sports consultant. For the past year, he has worked as a design architect on the Olympic Handball Venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games, which is now under construction.
Pauline has particular expertise in sports planning, event architecture and large multi-use master planning projects, although he has also worked on international residential and commercial projects and sizable cultural projects including theatres, libraries, schools and galleries.
As a result of his experience working on projects and in an advisory capacity at the Olympics in Beijing, Sydney, Athens and London, his services have already been called upon in his new role with RMJM. In the first week of his appointment at a conference in Moscow, he presented his experience to Mr.Beresnitskiy, Head of the Tender Department at Olympstroy, the company responsible for the construction of Olympic facilities for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
At the conference Mr. Beresnitskiy spoke about the possibilities of taking part in Olympstroy’s tender procedures.
Pauline – who has lived and worked in the USA, China, Japan, Qatar, Indonesia, Europe and Australia – will be based in RMJM’s Hong Kong office, although he will lead sports-related projects around the world. Over the coming weeks, he will be identifying his team-members who will be based in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA.
The creation of RMJM Sport is the latest studio offering from the company which has been restructuring its business in recent months to create ‘global studios’ in growth areas, particularly those which are funded from the public purse. Its other global studios focus on healthcare, education and transport infrastructure.
RMJM Chief Executive, Peter Morrison, believes that success in winning ambitious large scale and challenging projects lies in increased globalisation of the business, drawing upon international resources in terms of harnessing design skills within the company and sharing business contacts. On the creation of his most recent global studio, he said:
“We have built a strong reputation in designing sporting venues and we are now looking to take this to the next level by establishing RMJM Sport, led by John who is a leading authority in this area. His vast experience and specialist knowledge, not only in designing sporting venues but also in coordinating multiple stakeholders and consultants, will bring added value to our clients.”
John Pauline said: “No matter what the sector, RMJM seems to be enjoying huge success in winning some of the largest international projects, from the tallest tower in Europe to the world’s largest media centre at the Beijing Olympics. I am therefore very excited to be working with teams throughout RMJM’s network of offices to focus on winning significant sporting projects, with the common purpose of designing buildings which will inspire and encourage users for many generations.”
RMJM sports design studio image + information from RMJM 200409
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, north west Europe
Architecture Practice Information
RMJM Architects studio headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland
Architecture in Scotland
Contemporary Architecture in Scotland – architectural selection below:
Scottish Architecture Designs – chronological list
Paisley Museum Building, western Scotland
Design: AL_A
image courtesy of architects office
Paisley Museum Renewal
Literature House for Scotland, John Knox House, Edinburgh
Winning Architects: Witherford Watson Mann ; Groves-Raines Architects Studios ; Studio MB
Literature House for Scotland
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