Located on the Etihad Campus in Manchester, Co-op Live will be the largest arena in the UK. With a maximum capacity of 23,500, the arena is designed to become one of the world’s premier music and entertainment venues. The project was given the green light by Manchester City Council on Sept. 24.
Unlike almost all other large arenas, Co-op Live was designed specifically with music at the forefront. The arena is meant to re-establish Manchester as one of the world’s most important live music destinations as well as deliver new events to the city, including awards shows, international sporting events and tournaments, family entertainment shows, and Esports.
The transformer-like bowl will bring fans closer to the stage than any comparable venue in Europe. Bespoke standing spaces will be included throughout the venue, as opposed to only on the arena floor. The arena can also be reconfigured for a range of events and opportunities to support a year-round event program.
LED’s will be integrated into the facade to create a seamless aesthetic between event and non-event modes, day and night. Next to the arena will be a new canal-side space with food and drink offerings available for the public on event days and non-event days alike. Additionally, the hard- and soft-landscaped routes to the venue will help to create an exciting approach experience for audiences and the local community.
Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low carbon technologies are integral to the arena’s design. Construction of the arena is expected to begin in November with completion slated for 2023. OVG is the project’s developer.
Related Stories
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
| Jul 7, 2014
7 emerging design trends in brick buildings
From wild architectural shapes to unique color blends and pattern arrangements, these projects demonstrate the design possibilities of brick.
| Jul 3, 2014
Arthur Ashe Stadium the latest to tap Birdair
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and ROSSETTI, the architect of record for the Arthur Ashe Stadium, tapped Birdair to supply a 210,000-square-foot, PTFE membrane, retractable roof, expected to be installed by 2016.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jun 18, 2014
Six World Cup stadiums have achieved LEED certification
In conjunction with the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that six World Cup stadiums have achieved LEED certification, including South America’s largest stadium, Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
Smart Buildings | Jun 8, 2014
Big Data: How one city took control of its facility assets with data
Over the past few years, Buffalo has developed a cutting-edge facility management program to ensure it's utilizing its facilities and operations as efficiently, effectively, and sustainably as possible.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
