The Olympia exhibition centre reopened on Monday, following a £1.3 billion transformation that took six years to complete. Developers have stated that the site, located on Hammersmith Road, will attract 3.5 million visitors a year once fully operational and will directly generate 7,000 jobs.
Olympia first opened in 1886, and its exhibition halls have hosted a variety of events over the years, including functions such as the Ideal Home Show and concerts by artists including Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. Now, chief executive Michael Volkert is aiming to turn the west London landmark into a major cultural, entertainment and business destination.
Mr Volkert said: "Last week we had London Tech Week here, we had over 30,000 people come to our exhibition halls from 150 nations. This estate is really something that is an icon internationally."
According to Olympia’s projections, the site will inject more than £600 million into the UK economy each year, with around 800 events being hosted annually. The redevelopment was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the man behind the 2012 Olympic cauldron, and London-based architect firm SPPARC.
Mr Heatherwick has opened Olympia up, with the site previously having a one-kilometre wall around its perimeter. The site now offers 2.5 acres of public space, including Emberton Walk, an internal pedestrian street with its own postcode, and features a large glass rooftop canopy offering panoramic views of the London skyline.
The British Airways ARC, a 3,800-capacity music venue, opened on Tuesday evening, with the first of two shows from Mercury Prize nominee Self Esteem. Lucy Noble, from AEG Presents who are operating the venue, said the space filled a gap in the market for mid-sized venues in west London. The ARC will be joined by the British Airways Theatre when it opens in 2027, when it will become the largest new theatre built in London for more than half a century.
The site contains two new hotels, as well as One Olympia, a 550,000 sq ft office building housing the Premier League's international content production studios and premium lounge The Addison. A new International Convention Centre has also been built to complement the heritage halls.
Shows already confirmed for Olympia’s summer programme include the annual London Wine Fair, Hyper Japan, and London Premier Padel P1.
