Heatherwick Studio transforms historic London icon, Olympia, into a new cultural neighbourhood

This summer, Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC reveal the first phase of Olympiaʼs transformation from exhibition venue into a new cultural neighbourhood, reimagining one of London's great Victorian public buildings.

Originally opened in 1886, Olympia was synonymous with public spectacle, hosting everything from international trade fairs to Vivienne Westwood's first runway show, and historic concerts by Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. However, for most of its 140-year history, Olympiaʼs kilometre-long perimeter remained closed-off to the public, cut off from the daily life of Londoners.

The new masterplan by Heatherwick Studio removes century-old barriers, working with Olympiaʼs intricate Victorian architecture to integrate the 14-acre site back into the city. By relocating all logistics underground and opening 2.5 acres of publicly accessible streets, squares, elevated walkways and landscaped terraces, the design restores the historic routes that once ran between the Grade II listed halls.

Olympia's historic exhibition halls remain in continuous operation throughout, preserving their 26,000-person capacity. And a new public canopy, the first tangible piece of this transformation, opens today.

The canopy rises at second-story level above the exhibition hall, introducing nearly 1,000 square metres of new public space to the city. Visible from Hammersmith Road, the structure fans outwards above a public staircase and the escalators, creating a clear visual gateway that draws people into the site. From its mezzanine level, visitors can experience entirely new views across the cast iron and glass barrel-vaulted roofs that have defined Olympiaʼs skyline for over a century.

It was inspired by the original design of Sir Henry Edward Coe, and is formed of five curved structural steel arches. Each arch spans 22 metres, supporting a transparent roof of 520 pleated glass panels that reference the facade of the historic Grand Hall.

Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Design Director of Heatherwick Studio, said: “Olympia has held a strange place in the hearts of Londoners, sitting at the centre of our city, hosting so many unusual events, yet simultaneously closed off to most of us. It certainly wasnʼt a place to take your family or go on a date.

Our work over the last nine years has been about opening it up so anyone can enjoy it, whether theyʼre going to a play, a music concert, an exhibition, or simply wandering around. Weʼve reimagined it as part of Londonʼs everyday life again, creating a new public street raised up in the air, sitting on top of the old exhibition halls. Itʼs surrounded by London's largest theatre to open in 50 years, a music hall, two hotels, offices, plus lots of places to sit and eat and be together. What was once a lifeless perimeter is now a place where you can feel the cityʼs energy. The new Olympia reflects a quiet confidence, showing that we can take extraordinary British heritage and adapt it with care, imagination and purpose for the future.ˮ

Eliot Postma, Partner and Group Leader at Heatherwick Studio said: ˮWe havenʼt sought to impose something new but learn from whatʼs already there, working with Olympiaʼs Victorian structure - its span, rhythm, and generosity.

The real challenge was how to intervene at this kind of scale without losing the things that make this place special. The Canopy is a really complex piece of engineering that had to sit lightly within a historic setting, unlock movement across the site, and create a new space for London.

Together, weʼve turned an inward-looking venue into something much more connected and human. Somewhere culture and community can thrive.ˮ Once fully complete, the 14-acre site will feature a range of cultural and commercial spaces including:

• British Airways ARC, a 3,800-capacity live entertainment venue;
• British Airways Theatre: 1,575 seats, the largest new permanent London theatre in almost 50 years
• Hospitality and Retail: new hotels from Hyatt Regency and citizenM and more than 30 restaurants and bars
• Commercial and Community: 550,000 sq ft of creative offices; and 10,000 sq ft of free rehearsal space for local charities.

Olympiaʼs annual footfall will reach approximately 10 million across the whole destination and contribute over £600 million to the UK economy each year.