Inside Olympia: what to expect from the London neighbourhood’s incredible £1.3 billion transformation

The glittering Victorian arches of Olympia will be all too familiar to Londoners. Countless extravagant events have taken place here since its 1886 opening, from an equestrian showcase to historical re-enactments. And while the companies and clientele typically found inside today are a little more practical than fantastical, its status as one of London’s most in-demand event spaces remains.

Now, a £1.3 billion scheme is attempting to transform the site into the capital’s newest destination for entertainment, culture, hospitality and business. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, who designed Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross and the Vessel in New York City, and SPPARC, also behind Borough Yards, the reimagined Olympia will have space for two new hotels (a Hyatt and a Citizen M), a 3,800-capacity music venue with shows lined up from Joan Jett and Self Esteem (British Airways ARC), and the largest new theatre in the city in 50 years. A school, fitness centre and myriad new food and drink outlets will open, too.

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Hard hat secured, I embark on a journey through the site to see if the reality is as glossy as it sounds. We scale the imposing staircase – no escalator or lift for us, but I’m assured the spaces will be fully accessible once open to the public – and pass under the Canvas, an 83-metre-long digital soffit screen that will display always-shifting immersive art.

Passing along Emberton Walk, I gaze out at distant attractions including the London Eye, Battersea Power Station and Crystal Palace, and the feats involved in opening a project that straddles listed Victorian architecture and modern engineering quickly sink in.

One company moving in is Premier League Studios, who’re in the process of fitting out more than 73,000 square feet of office space. The arrival of the Premier League is Exciting News in these parts. Some see the company’s 20-year commitment to the site as suggesting Olympia is set to become London’s best new destination for media, tech and the creative industries.