The O2 (London)
Coordinates: 51°30′10.14″N 0°0′11.22″E / 51.5028167°N 0.0031167°E / 51.5028167; 0.0031167
The O2 | |
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Former names | Millennium Dome |
General information | |
Type | Entertainment District |
Architectural style | Dome |
Location | The O2 Drawdock Road / Millennium Way Greenwich Peninsula North Greenwich London, SE10 0BB England, United Kingdom |
Current tenants | Anschutz Entertainment Group Europe (dome site sub-leased by Meridian Delta and arena leased by English Partnerships) |
Completed | 1999 (mast-supported canopy) 2007 (redevelopment of The O2 and surrounding area have been partially completed prior to opening) |
Opening | 2007 |
Height | 52 metres at its highest point (central point within canopy) 100m (steel masts) |
Technical details | |
Structural system | Steel & tensioned fabric |
Diameter | 365 metres (overall diameter of canopy) 320 metres (internal diameter of canopy) |
Other dimensions | 1 km (circumference of canopy) |
Design and construction | |
Owner | English Partnerships (Ultimate owner of Dome and Land) |
Architect | Richard Rogers (canopy) Populous (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event) (redeveloped interior of The O2) |
Structural engineer | Buro Happold (canopy and redeveloped interior of The O2) |
Services engineer | Buro Happold (canopy) M-E Engineers (redeveloped interior of The O2) |
Awards and prizes | Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award |
Website | |
theo2.co.uk |
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants. It was built largely within the former Millennium Dome, a large dome-shaped building built to house an exhibition celebrating the turn of the third millennium; as such, The Dome remains a name in common usage for the venue.
It is often referred by various names: the O2 Dome; the O2 Centre, which properly refers to an unrelated shopping centre on Finchley Road; or The O2 Arena, which properly refers to a smaller indoor arena within The O2. Naming rights to the district were purchased by O2 plc (now Telefónica Europe plc) from its developers, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), during the development of the district. AEG owns the long-term lease on the O2 Arena and surrounding leisure space.
From the closure of the original "Millennium Experience" exhibition occupying the site, several possible ways of reusing the Millennium Dome's shell were proposed and then rejected. The official renaming of the Dome in 2005 gave publicity to its transition into an entertainment district. The Dome's shell itself remained in site, but its interior and the area around North Greenwich Station, the QE2 pier and the main entrance area were completely redeveloped.
The area is served by North Greenwich tube station, which was opened just before the millennium exhibition, on the Jubilee Line, and by bus routes. Thames Clippers operate a river boat service for London River Services; the present tenants, AEG, purchased Thames Clippers in order to provide river links between central London and The O2. As well as a commuter service, Thames Clippers also operates the O2 Express service.
Read more about The O2 (London): The Tent, Background To Development, Opening, Facilities, Chronology of The Site, Transport Links, See Also