Trafalgar Entertainment, Olympia

new 1575 seat theatre in west London

Haworth Tompkins are designing a new theatre in west London, the largest new permanent London theatre since the completion of the National Theatre in 1976. Trafalgar Entertainment has signed a 70-year lease to operate the theatre which forms part of the redevelopment of Olympia, itself led by Yoo Capital and DFI, and designed by Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC Architecture.

Our proposals include extensive bar and foyer spaces spread across five floor levels around a central atrium void, with horseshoe balustrades overlooking the lower levels and outward to the glazed façade. Back-of-house features spacious dressing rooms, and comprehensive technical areas. The auditorium is conceived as an intimate proscenium end-on theatre with three main seating levels contained within a sumptuous timber wall lining, treated in warm bronze tones.

A critical part of the design is achieving appropriate acoustic separation between the performance areas and the neighbouring office and exhibition spaces, and we are working with Charcoalblue to achieve this. The project is currently at technical design stage.

Address

Olympia, London

Client

Trafalgar entertainment

structural engineer

robert bird

Services engineer

buro happold

theatre/acoustic consultant

charcoalblue

quantity surveyor

aecom

project manager

avison young