Outernet London

Outernet London is the name of a new entertainment, arts and culture district opened in 2022 in the West End of London. It is the largest digital exhibition space in Europe[1] with the "world's largest LED screen deployment".[2][3] It is located adjacent to eastern exit of the new Elizabeth line Tottenham Court Road Underground station, on the southern side of the public square, and it extends to Denmark Street - “Tin Pan Alley” - with St Giles High Street to the east and Charing Cross Road to the west.

Outernet London
Project
Opening date2022
DeveloperConsolidated Developments
OperatorOuternet London
Websitehttp://www.outernet.com
Location
Locationadjacent to Crossrail Tottenham Court Road/Charing Cross Road southern exit

Spaces/Venues

The district contains

  • The Now Building - featuring four storey high video screens [4]
  • Now Trending - a space for immersive content or sampling [5]
  • Now Arcade - an LED tunnel [6]
  • Here at Outernet - an underground 2,000 capacity music venue [7]
  • The Lower Third - a 250 capacity music venue [8]
  • Denmark Street - famous street with music related retail [9]
  • Chateau Denmark - a hotel [10]

as well as broadcasting and media facilities, bars and restaurants and pop up spaces.[11] 

Public spaces will reportedly feature a public arts programme and advertising campaigns using virtual reality,[12] augmented reality [13] and artificial intelligence.[14] News reports have indicated that entertainment will be created by Technicolor[15][16][17] and Sir Ridley's Scott's the Ridley Scott Creative Group.[18][19][20]

There are also residential apartments,[21] office space,[22] and 20,000 sq ft of retail space.[23]

Planning and Construction

Construction follows more than a decade of planning.[24] The main construction contractor for the project was Skanska[25] and the developer is Consolidated Developments.[26][27] To protect against vibration from the Elizabeth and Northern line trains special construction methods were used.[28]

The area immediately surrounding Outernet was also recently under development from Crossrail and other projects such as the new @sohoplace theatre which both also opened in 2022. The Oxford Street shopping area has therefore undergone significant renewal.[29][30]

Reaction and Comment

The redevelopment has been welcomed by London's Night Czar Amy Lame,[31] but has also been controversial[32] and criticised with many commentators lamenting[33] the decline of live music in London [34] and criticising the redevelopment plans, in particular their impact on Denmark Street.[35][36][37] [38]

Some commentators have criticised the architecture,[39] but others believe it creates a space for music that reflects the current internet age. [40] Outernet London have said they will preserve the area's musical legacy and support both music shops and live music.[41] The redeveloped Denmark Street features busking points and a pro-bono recording studio in partnership with the BPI.[42] Although some of the street still has scaffolding, Denmark Street appears largely unchanged with more music shops than ever and a new indie music venue called The Lower Third located on the site of the old 12 Bar Club.

References

  1. Baron, Katie. "Inside The Outernet: How The Billion Pound Concept Plans To Make Its Mark". Forbes. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  2. "Outernet signs deal for 'world's largest' LED screen deployment". CityAM. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  3. "Outernet London to feature 'largest LED screens in the world'". Prolific London. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  4. "Outernet London". www.outernetglobal.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  5. "Outernet London". www.outernetglobal.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  6. "Outernet London". www.outernetglobal.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  7. "HERE at Outernet – The Future of Live Entertainment is HERE". Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  8. "THE LOWER THIRD". THE LOWER THIRD. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  9. "Denmark Street", Wikipedia, 12 November 2022, retrieved 14 November 2022
  10. "Chateau Denmark - Rooms & Apartments in London - Chateau Denmark". www.chateaudenmark.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  11. "Soho is getting a new 2,000-capacity music venue". Evening Standard. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  12. "Ridley Scott Creative Group, Outernet Team On Development/Production Platform For Immersive Content". SHOOTonline. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  13. "StackPath". www.inavateonthenet.net. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  14. Warrington, James (13 May 2019). "Outernet teams up with Technicolor for new London media landmark". www.cityam.com. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  15. "Outernet teams up with Technicolor to create new London media landmark". CityAM. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. "Outernet Global Partners With Technicolor for the Future of Immersive Entertainment". www.technicolor.com. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  17. "Outernet Global Worldwide Co-production and Innovation Partnership with Technicolor Inc Paves Way for Future of Immersive Entertainment". MarTech Series. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  18. Howard, Tom. "Sir Ridley Scott's big screen pitch is high and mighty". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  19. "Ridley Scott Creative Group and Outernet Global announce Tomorrow Now". shots. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  20. "London media hub Outernet signs video production deal with Ridley Scott". CityAM. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  21. "Discover the Outernet London Hub". Outernet London. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  22. "Offices to rent in West end". www.monmouthdean.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  23. Szajna-Hopgood, Ava. "More change in London's West End as Outernet plans take hold - Retail Gazette". Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  24. "Outernet: Is London's new media hub the future of urban entertainment?". CityAM. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  25. "St Giles Circus Development". www.skanska.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  26. "Skanska signs £142 million contract to build St Giles Circus development". www.skanska.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  27. "New grassroots music venue for Denmark Street". Orms. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  28. "Box in a box to avoid Crossrail vibrations". www.ianvisits.co.uk. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  29. Williams2019-04-25T11:05:00+01:00, Richard. "How Oxford Street lost its allure". Property Week. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  30. Fraser, Isabelle (13 November 2019). "Could this cube covered in high definition screens help save the high street?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  31. "Outernet London: New 2,000-capacity music venue to open in Soho". www.msn.com. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  32. Burrows, Marc (20 January 2015). "London's music scene rocked by the death of Denmark Street". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  33. Harris, John (6 February 2015). "A lament for the death of bohemian London | John Harris". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  34. Bethell, Emma Garland and Chris (29 September 2016). "London's Culture Death: What the City's Best Music Venues Look Like Now". Vice. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  35. Hill, Dave (20 December 2016). "The future of Denmark Street: rebirth opportunity or dystopian hell?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  36. "Denmark Street's not dead yet". The Independent. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  37. "Plans announced for Tottenham Court Rd development - and it doesn't look good". Louder Than War. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  38. "The day the music died? Welcome to Denmark Street and Tottenham Court Road's new 'digitally enabled streetscape'". the Guardian. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  39. "'Why not just go the full Vegas?' The crass, ad-laden reinvention of central London". the Guardian. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  40. ianVisits (9 November 2022). "The transformation of Denmark Street and the Outernet". ianVisits. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  41. "Outernet London venue bids to be 'beacon' for recovering live scene". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  42. "Could Tin Pan Alley's slick revamp be demo version for global cities?". Evening Standard. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
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