Plans have been unveiled for a £700m revamp of the 130-year-old west London exhibitions and events venue Olympia London by owners Deutsche Finance and Yoo Capital.
Designed by Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC, the scheme includes new facilities for the exhibition centre, as well as the creation of 70,000 sq ft of co-working space, 600,000 sq ft of creative offices and studios and 2.5 acres of public realm.
Deutsche Finance and Yoo Capital also want to provide 73,000 sq ft of theatre and performing arts space, as well as new hotels, cinemas and restaurant space. They plan to turn Olympia London, which already hosts more than 200 events a year, into a year-round cultural hub.
John Hitchcox, chairman of Yoo Capital, said: “As caretakers of Olympia London, we are investing to protect this iconic site and promote it on the global stage as a world-leading destination for the creative industries. These proposals reflect consultations and discussions with our community to ensure we create an exciting and inspirational venue with unparalleled facilities.”
Gavin Neilan, co-managing partner of Deutsche Finance International, added: “This is an exciting time for Europe’s exhibitions and events industry, with cities such as Frankfurt and Paris investing in their sites and continued annual growth across the creative industries. This investment heralds a new era in Olympia London’s history.”
Plans will be available to view at Olympia London as part of a public consultation before a formal application is submitted in September 2018.
See also: Here’s looking at Yoo
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