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A new chapter for live music at Olympia
As London’s first new purpose-built mid-sized music in over a decade, the British Airways ARC is a significant new addition to London’s live music scene, a new chapter in Olympia’s long musical history and a key part of Olympia’s £1.3bn regeneration.
Working as lead design consultant from Stage 3 onwards, Haworth Tompkins designed the 3,800-capacity venue’s interior to maximise accessibility, fluid and intuitive circulation, operational performance and the overall experience for audiences and performers.
The design creates a rich world of sound, light, atmosphere and materiality, centred on a highly immersive audience experience. A subtle slatted timber lining wraps the auditorium to enhance acoustics and focus the auditorium onto the stage.
Highly programmable lighting, shimmering metallic materials, and refined hospitality and VIP spaces create a distinctive identity throughout the venue. The music venue opened in June 2026 with a headline performance by Self Esteem.
