The sustainable stadium set to wow the world

With its red running tracks surrounded by black and white seats and floodlights stretching above the roof, London's elliptically shaped Olympic Stadium resembles many other sporting venues.

But the building's principal designer, Philip Johnson, believes it will lead a global movement towards sustainable architecture.

Mostly lightweight steel was used in the construction, the roof is made of PVC and the stadium boasts a fabric curtain, designed to minimize crosswinds. Moreover, the water collected from the roof is used to flush the toilets, while the earth embankments that surround the stadium protect the biodiversity of the site by encouraging plants to grow.