PROJECT REPORT: MIXED USE SCHEMES 35
form a strong symbol of the green aspects of the project viewable from the other northern extremity of this huge 300 metre circulation space.
The key design move within the new elevated ‘skywalk’ public realm is the striking new canopy the architects have created. It repeats the pleated glazing motif taken from the facade of the Grand Hall, in a deceptively simple steel structure of five thick steel arches and tapered zigzag ladder frames. Fanning out welcomingly, and echoing the barrel vaults of the Great Hall and National Hall sitting either side of it, the canopy is clearly visible from the bustle of Hammersmith Road below, tempting pedestrians to ascend the stairs or escalators and investigate. This link to the street is the key to opening up the new Olympia to the public in a potentially unprecedented way. Internally this fully open ‘garden’ space will offer a great place to relax and socialise with the F&B outlets along its length. Its mezzanine level will allow people a new perspective through the canopy on the glass and iron curved roofs which have sat above this area for so many decades. The public realm opportunities around the perimeter of the site have been explored to the full, in particular what was a cluttered and unwelcoming space in front of the Grand Hall. Olympia Way is being pedestrianised, which will transform what was a vehicle-dominated space into
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a safe and pleasant route for visitors and residents. Shops and cafes are planned to be open to the public all year round, and adjacent to the train station this should be a place that helps enliven the whole Olympia arrival experience.
Elevating London’s culture In the words of John Hitchcox, chairman of Yoo Group, the big goal of the project in terms of its future role as a cultural quarter for London, was to create “a hub of creativity that encompasses all the arts at Olympia,” and the agreement signed with the Alpha Plus Group and the BRIT School for a high-spec performance-oriented school is a major plank of this future cultural legacy.
But for most locals, including the substantial numbers of residents in surrounding buildings, the key benefit of the overall scheme is how it breaks down a large amount of new additions to simultaneously open up to its surroundings, and welcome people in. The mix of uses, from music to theatre to simply socialising outside in the new public garden space, means the open, lively and connected spirit of Olympia is sure to be restored. For the architects, Eliot Postma says this has been “an amazing ride,” and Trevor Morriss is equally ebullient: “It’s an absolute privilege to be involved in it, there isn’t a day that goes by that we’re not touched by it in some way.” g
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The mix of uses, from music to theatre to simply socialising outside in the new public garden space, means the open, lively and connected spirit of Olympia is sure to be restored
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