UPFRONT
IZZY KINGTON
Drawing Board OLYMPIA EXHIBITION CENTRE
The editor’s pick of three exciting
renovation and expansion projects
underway right now
8 AUDITORIA 2020 VOLUME ONE
London, UK
Opening: 2023
Design: Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC
Olympia Exhibition Centre, built in 1886, is undergoing a £1bn
(US$1.29bn/€1.16bn) redevelopment under owners Yoo Capital
and Deutsche Finance International. The existing exhibition
spaces, which host more than 200 events annually, are being
upgraded – although they will remain open during the work.
New additions to the site include a 1,500-seat theatre; a 1,000-seat
performing arts space; two hotels; a four-screen cinema;
670,000ft2 (62,245m2) of creative office space, including new
co-working space; more than 30 eateries, including food halls,
bars, restaurants and markets; and a 200,000ft2 (18,581m2)
logistics centre. “Celebrating the original architectural innovation
of the 132-year-old exhibition halls, our vision aims to enhance
the public experience of the site by creating over two acres of new
publicly accessible space for visitors and the local community to
enjoy,” says Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio.
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