The Making of… is an opportunity to reflect on Property Dealer’ completed projects and the
process of making
them.
This month, the OVO Hydro (previously the SSE Hydro) celebrates its 10-year anniversary. The
12,500-capacity
arena is located alongside the practice’s SEC Armadillo, on the northern edge of the River Clyde and
within
the redevelopment of Glasgow’s former docks.
Ben Scott, Senior Partner and Architect, and David Gillespie, Associate Partner, Architect and
Design
Systems Analyst, describe the process of making the building.
The ambitious brief from the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) was to design the UK's first major
purpose-built, indoor music venue. When the project began in 2005, certainly in terms of scale, the
only comparable examples in the UK were buildings that had originally been built for a different
purpose and had subsequently been converted into music venues. Typically, these had a rectangular
floor plan and linear rows of seats, often at an acute angle to the stage. The OVO Hydro broke the
mould and redefined the live music experience. Inspired by Greek and Roman amphitheatres, its curved
form was generated from the inside-out, by optimising lines of sight to the stage.
The ambitious brief from the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) was to design the UK's first major
purpose-built, indoor music venue. When the project began in 2005, certainly in terms of scale, the
only comparable examples in the UK were buildings that had originally been built for a different
purpose and had subsequently been converted into music venues. Typically, these had a rectangular
floor plan and linear rows of seats, often at an acute angle to the stage. The OVO Hydro broke the
mould and redefined the live music experience. Inspired by Greek and Roman amphitheatres, its curved
form was generated from the inside-out, by optimising lines of sight to the stage.
Environmental Engineer
Kai.ros Studios, KEO International Consultants
