The O2 Arena, housed in the former Millennium Dome (now ‘the O2’) is one of the largest multi-purpose indoor arenas in Europe. It has a capacity of up to 23,000 and features 360° seating offering unobstructed views of the arena floor.
This state of the art development will serve as a venue for music, sport and entertainment and is designed to adapt to meet various demands. FS Cables supplied a number of specialist cables to this £600m project which is the first of its kind in the UK.
Everything in the arena, including the lighting, sound and cameras are digitally managed by computer servers. This enables the lights, sounds and data transmissions to be pre-programmed and controlled from the arena floor. Digital scoreboards can be raised and lowered from the ceiling, depending on the event, and plasma screens operate throughout the bars, suites and concourses.
Two members of our sales team were invited down to the site during its construction.
“The thing that really strikes you is the sheer size of the project”, said Lee Girdler from the contractor sales team. “From talking to the guys on site, the real challenge was the inability to use cranes within the Dome itself. They had to construct the roof, erect it, and then build the arena around it”.
He added, “The ‘bowl effect’ achieved by the 360° seating really captures the sound and light. It’s a real showcase development and it’s important we supply cable that matches the level of performance required.”
The LF-329 screened flexible Low Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF) power cable was chosen to provide power to parts of the arena. Its flexibility enables easy installation and the dual foil & braid screen protects from electro-magnetic radiation and potential corruption of other cables or equipment at both high and low frequency.
To meet the need for high performance lighting without compromising safety, a LSHF Mode Lighting cable was used. High level catwalks housed the lighting and lighting controls which illuminate the arena.
A range of LSHF alternatives to Belden style cables were used for data transmissions to equipment including scoreboards and control panels. Some fibre cables for carrying high speed data for telecoms were also supplied.
All the cables we supplied to the O2 Arena were Low Smoke Halogen Free throughout. In developments such as this where the evacuation of such a large number of people in the event of fire could be difficult, the use of LSHF cable minimises the effects of toxic halogens released into the air that can form hydrochloric acid. Often in the event of an emergency, it is the poisonous fumes that pose the greatest threat to people and property rather than the fire itself.
Sales Manager Andy Mallard commented, “It’s great to be associated with a high profile project such as the O2 Arena. The need for LSHF cabling to be installed in projects such as these is very apparent when you consider it will regularly hold over 20,000 people.”
“The visit was beneficial to both ourselves and the contractor and really gave us an idea of what had been achieved” he added.
A better understanding of the project allowed FS Cables to respond quickly to the various demands that a project such as this brings. It also gives the contractor peace of mind that the cable they require is going to perform. The fact the cable was able to be delivered as and when it was required meant minimal storage was required on site.
The screened power cables used on the arena are from a range that FS Cables regularly supply to new developments, to data centres in particular, so much of the order was available directly from stock, delivered to site next day.
For more information on the O2 Arena and to book tickets for forthcoming events, log on to www.theo2.co.uk.
Image used courtesy of Colin Phillip