LONDON, UK.- What could London look like in 2012, the year of the Olympic Games? Could it be a city in which old and new buildings and public spaces, the historic and the contemporary, combine to create a world-class stage for the Olympics and a better place for its citizens?

English Heritage and the Royal Institute of British Architects have joined forces to publish a call to action to ensure London is fit for the spotlight of world attention. Capital Spaces: Transforming London (PDF 1.5Mb) was launched at Wellington Arch 8 February 2005, a week before the arrival of the International Olympic Committee in London.

London’s heritage is an invaluable asset to the 2012 Olympic bid. The capital can offer an unrivalled backdrop with such historic spaces and landmarks as the Tower of London, Horse Guards Parade and Regent’s Park. In turn, the chance to host the

Olympic Games will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of rundown areas such as the Lower Lea Valley in the city’s eastern gateway. Capital Spaces calls on all those who make and manage the changes to London’s urban realm to make the most of this unique opportunity to transform the city’s streets and public spaces.

Capital Spaces urges local authorities to appoint Urban Space champions and prepare sustainable public space strategies which integrate historic landscapes and buildings. The publication calls for a wide range of stakeholders to be involved early on in all development proposals and for the creation of a public/private sector London Urban Space Commission.

Capital Spaces celebrates London’s commercial, cultural and demographic growth, and shows how it can be harnessed to improve what already exists and develop new areas for living, work and leisure. The challenge, it argues, is to balance retention and renewal. It gives examples of bold schemes, such as those at Somerset House, Trafalgar Square and Tower Hill, which have already achieved this.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “London is a great global city and its rich historic environment and cultural heritage make it, in my view, the strongest contender for hosting the 2012 Olympics. Capital Spaces illustrates how, over the next 10 years, London will be reinvigorated and transformed with revitalised historic places complementing high quality new development. English Heritage wants to embrace the challenge and work with all those involved in the management and improvement of the capital to achieve this.”

George Ferguson, President of the RIBA, said: “Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history. We hold this launch at Decimus Burton's spectacular Wellington Arch - a great London Monument honouring the architect of Napoleon's demise. Does this augur well for a more peaceful victory over our friends across the Channel?! It is certainly a fitting site to glorify the work of our partners, English Heritage and their remarkable achievements in enabling the restoration of this and many others of the capital's monuments and spaces for the public's enjoyment. I truly believe that London of all the candidate cities has, in quality and variety, by far the best mix of old and new to offer the millions of national and overseas visitors that will come in 2012. As a profession, we shall be doing all we can to contribute to an historic result in the true spirit of the Olympics which celebrates both beauty and legacy alongside great sporting endeavour.”

Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport & Tourism, said: “English Heritage and RIBA’s Capital Spaces makes a positive contribution to the ongoing debate about the transformation of London. It demonstrates the important role played by London’s rich built environment in that transformation and rightly stresses the importance of the public realm. That realm, with the built environment at its heart, is not an abstract concept but an integral part of the way we experience the city from the moment we leave home to when we arrive at our destination. Capital Spaces provides a very useful snapshot of the changes occurring in London today. It shows how the opportunity to host the Olympic Games could reinforce and enrich these changes and illustrates how the built environment can help London to retain its status as a world-class city in 2012 and beyond.”

Jude Kelly, Chair of London 2012’s Culture and Arts Committee, said: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games invite the world to celebrate human achievement in one chosen city. In 2012 we want that city to be London. The beauty and boldness of the ideas for new urban landscapes show Britain’s instinct and flair for melding heritage with contemporary aesthetic and civic purpose. The Olympics would bring the whole world to London - a city where every nation has a resident community whose influence has helped sculpt our culture. In 2012 the renaissance of the east of the capital would be mirrored by new visions across the whole capital. It’s a thrilling gift to the next generation.”