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
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 22, 2023
NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars release conceptual designs for ‘stadium of the future’
Designed by HOK, the Stadium of the Future intends to meet the evolving needs of all stadium stakeholders—which include the Jaguars, the annual Florida-Georgia college football game, the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, international sporting events, music festivals and tours, and the thousands of fans and guests who attend each event.
Arenas | Jun 14, 2023
A multipurpose arena helps revitalize a historic African American community in Georgia
In Savannah, Ga., Enmarket Arena, a multipurpose arena that opened last year, has helped revitalize the city’s historic Canal District—home to a largely African American community that has been historically separated from the rest of downtown.
Arenas | Jun 14, 2023
How Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena is conserving water
More than 700 water closets, urinals, flushometers, and faucets combine to save water at the 18,300-person Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle.
Architects | Jun 6, 2023
Taking storytelling to a new level in building design, with Gensler's Bob Weis and Andy Cohen
Bob Weis, formerly the head of Disney Imagineering, was recently hired by Gensler as its Global Immersive Experience Design Leader. He joins the firm's co-CEO Andy Cohen to discuss how Gensler will focus on storytelling to connect people to its projects.
Arenas | May 18, 2023
How can we reimagine live sports experiences?
A Gensler survey finds what sports fans' experiences have been like returning to arenas, and their expectations going forward.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design
The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 15, 2023
Georgia State University Convocation Center revitalizes long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood
Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.
Arenas | Feb 23, 2023
Using data to design the sports venue of the future
Former video game developer Abe Stein and HOK's Bill Johnson discuss how to use data to design stadiums and arenas that keep fans engaged and eager to return.
Arenas | Feb 14, 2023
A new communications platform aims to help sports and entertainment venues operate greener
GOAL (for Green Operations and Advanced Leadership) will give operators ways to gauge their sustainability journeys.
