Tall & Urban News

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has approved Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC’s plans for a £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) overhaul of the Olympia exhibition center in west London.

The 186,000-square-meter project, which was submitted for planning last October, is backed by Yoo Capital, which jointly owns the 132-year-old building with Deutsch Finance.

The practices will completely revamp the existing exhibition halls, as well as adding 51,000 square meters of offices, studios and co-working space for “the creative industries in art, music and entertainment.”

Billed as creating a new “cultural hub”, the plans include a four-screen arthouse cinema, a 1,000-seat performing arts space, a 1,500-seat theatre, 900 square meters of performance and rehearsal space, and a new jazz club-style restaurant and venue.

There are proposals too for extra shops, cafés, hotels and new public space, including pedestrianized squares and a sky garden, with the historic façades on Olympia Way fully restored. Spaces such as the Pillar Hall are to be opened to the public.

The scheme’s budget has already ballooned from the original £700 million (US$916 million) earmarked for the 5.6-hectare project.

The exhibition center was built in 1886 as the National Agricultural Hall to designs by architect Henry Edward Coe. Today it is the venue for more than 220 exhibitions and events each year, including the Olympia Horse Show and Stylist Live. Buildings on the site were listed in 2003.

In 2010, ColladoCollins Architects landed planning permission for a project to upgrade the exhibition center with the addition of a restaurant, offices, conference facilities and, potentially, a 500-bedroom hotel.

However, in 2017, the building’s previous owner, Capital & Counties Properties, sold the building and related property assets in a £296 million (US$387.5 million) deal.

The latest plans were lodged with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham after 14 months of consultation. The team submitted three applications: the main master plan; an outline application for the pedestrianization and development along Olympia Way, and a listed building consent.

Yoo Capital chairman John Hitchcox said: “Not only is this great news for London, it’s also an example of a British project with European investment creating jobs and opportunities, in spite of the current economic and political climate.

“We will achieve [our plans] with minimal disruption to the hundreds of inspirational events that will continue to take place at Olympia London during the transformation.”

For more on this story, go to the Architect’s Journal (subscription required).