Olympia, London
Olympia London
We were appointed by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham to provide independent heritage and engineering advice on applications for planning permission and listed building consent for the major redevelopment of Olympia.
Olympia is a nationally important complex of Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings that had evolved throughout a 140-year history. The Grade II* listed Grand Hall, completed in 1886, was designed to accommodate exhibitions, entertainments and events, while the adjoining Grade II* listed Pillar Hall served as a banqueting suite. The complex expanded during the 1920s and 1930s with the construction of the Grade II listed National Hall and Olympia Central.
We met with the applicant and design team, visited the buildings and reviewed documentation supporting the applications, including the Design and Access Statement and the Heritage, Townscape and Visual Effects Assessment. We provided a summary of the assessed significance of the listed buildings and affected conservation areas, together with an independent assessment of the scheme’s potential impact. Our advice combined structural engineering review with heritage, townscape and visual analysis, explaining the implications for Olympia’s fabric, architectural character and wider setting.
Our findings were presented to council officers in a concise, accessible format for inclusion in reports to the Planning Committee, helping councillors reach a balanced decision on the applications.
The consented masterplan, designed by Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC, has since transformed Olympia into a mixed-use cultural neighbourhood. Its first phase opened previously inaccessible areas through new public spaces and elevated pedestrian routes. At its centre is a curved canopy, whilst the wider scheme combines exhibition and performance venues, hotels, offices, restaurants and landscaped public spaces, supporting a renewed and more accessible future for this nationally significant complex.
Client: London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham