The O2 Arena

London, United Kingdom

Opened in 2007
Architecture, Brand Activation, Wayfinding, Interior Design, Audiovisual Consultancy

The Millennium Dome was a major addition to the London skyline, but once the Millennium Experience exhibition ended on Dec. 31, 2000, it seemed like nobody knew what to do with it. Enter AEG, who saw an opportunity to create the world’s number one entertainment destination. With the help of Populous, they would achieve that goal.

Total Capacity

20,000
Disciplines
Collections
- Arenas

Formerly the Millennium Dome, the O2 Arena is one of the world’s most individual contemporary structures. When Populous was challenged by client AEG to construct a 20,000-seat arena inside it, the analogy of building a ship within a bottle — at the largest scale imaginable — came to mind. On top of this, the acoustics within the finished arena had to be world class in order to attract the caliber of artists that the sponsor was looking for. And, perhaps most challenging of all, we had to change the public’s perception of the Dome. Once seen as London’s biggest white elephant, our brand activation team had to turn it blue.

Logistically, the arena’s roof had to sit tightly beneath the dome liner fabric, separated from it by a minimum of four metres for air and smoke reservoir provisions. An innovative structural methodology meant the building cores and roof system could be erected without tower cranes. The arena’s design responds to its unique context, with public concourses wrapped around the event space and seating bowl. Dramatic lighting emphasises the scale and volume of the public space.

Zoom

The O2 Arena is without a doubt the best venue in the world.

Frank Warren

Boxing promoter and owner of Queensberry Promotions

The brief O2 and AEG set our brand activation team was to create a branded experience that didn’t feel like a standard corporate sponsorship — O2 wanted to express their brand values organically.

We used what we call ‘the DNA approach,’ ensuring the identity of O2 flows through the venue like blood through a human body. Signs glow blue, subconsciously reminding event-goers of the sponsor. The materials used are consistent with the O2 brand language. The exclusive O2 lounge has blue water tanks with air bubbles rising up through them, just as you see in O2 advertising. The O2 Arena breathes its brand.

The O2 brand activation is widely regarded as the most successful across any U.K. venue. It has transformed the perception of what corporate sponsorship and branding looks like. O2 is now a global name, indelibly marked in the public’s subconscious.

The venue has gone on to host some of the most significant events in sport and entertainment, from the ATP tennis finals, to Anthony Joshua claiming his first world heavyweight title, to the Monty Python reunion show, which sold out in 43 seconds. All that, and it continues to be the biggest ticket-selling arena in the world, out-selling its nearest rival by almost 50%.

On top of this, as the largest entertainment zone in London, The O2 has been a catalyst for the redevelopment of the Greenwich peninsula, prompting valuable additions to the area’s infrastructure such as the new riverboat service. In 2016, The Populous team revisited the arena, redeveloping the wayfinding identity on Concourse Level 1, while Populous’ interior design practice, Jump Studios, reinvigorated the concourse with a series of interlinked bars and open kitchens.

Disciplines Provided at The O2

Architecture
Architecture

As the architect of this iconic project, Populous was tasked with designing a large-capacity, multipurpose arena within London’s iconic Dome building. Our team guided the project from the initial concept design stages through to completion, working with the engineers to find innovative workarounds for the restrictions on traditional construction methods imposed by the height of the Dome’s roof.

Since opening in 2007, the arena has established itself as one of Europe’s biggest and boldest venues for concerts and shows, hosting the likes of AC/DC, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Elton John, Madonna, Prince, and Cirque du Soleil. As of 2017, it has also become the busiest venue in the world in terms of ticket sales, ahead of Madison Square Garden in New York and the Manchester Arena
Disciplines Provided at The O2
Brand Activation
Brand Activation

For a long time, the Millennium Dome was talked about as London’s biggest white elephant. The challenge for our brand activation team was to transform the public perception of the building and to make the space into a vibrant, exciting experience for every visitor and fan — and, more importantly, into a branded experience. O2 and AEG, however, didn’t want it to feel like a standard corporate sponsorship. They wanted to express their brand values in a much more organic way.

Populous' solution to the problem was what we called ‘the DNA approach.’ Our team took the view that the identity of O2 should flow through the building like blood through a human body. Signs glow blue, subconsciously reminding event-goers of the sponsor. The materials used are consistent with the O2 brand language. The exclusive O2 lounge has blue water tanks with air bubbles rising up through them, just as you see in O2 advertising. The O2 Arena breathes its brand. The O2 brand activation, widely regarded as the most successful across any UK venue, has transformed the perception of what corporate sponsorship and branding looks like. O2 is now a global name, indelibly marked in the public’s subconscious.
Disciplines Provided at The O2
Interior Design
Interior Design

Populous’ interior design team undertook the design and delivery of the arena’s VIP O2 Lounge. The concept behind the lounge was to create a series of interlinked yet intimate zones which represented the brand identity of O2. With a capacity of 200, the scheme challenges the traditional notion of a VIP lounge by utilizing stretched fabrics such as Barrisol to create a space with ‘blurred edges,’ in which the walls and ceilings merge to provide a unique, flowing visual experience. Shells and tunnels form the main compositional elements of the scheme, providing a stark spatial contrast to the large open central bar area and creating a continually changing experience for the user as they move through the space. Floating luminescent elements and lighting levels define the mood of the lounge, while the background lighting and projections onto the translucent Barrisol cladding create a dramatic ambiance. Design details such as the internally-lit bar and drinks shelves and the sparkling banquette seating reinforce the luxury and exclusivity of the space.
Disciplines Provided at The O2

2011
- 21st annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, International Arena of the Year
2009
- Sign Design Awards
2008
- Structural Awards, Award for Arts or Entertainment Structures
- Structural Steel Design Award, Steelwork by integrated team working
- National Association of Shopfitters, Runner-up for the VIP Bar
- RICS Award, Regeneration category
2007
- FX magazine award, Technology integration innovation product
- Regeneration Awards, Best Commercial-led Project of the Year
- Regeneration Awards, Challenging Regeneration Project of the Year
- Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, Best New Concert Venue and Best International Arena

Nicholas Reynolds Senior Principal, Chief Global Strategy Officer London — Putney
Garry Reeves Senior Principal, Architect London — Putney
Simon Borg Principal London — Shoreditch