Outernet London Explained

Outernet London
Location:adjacent to Crossrail Tottenham Court Road/Charing Cross Road southern exit
Opening Date:2022
Developer:Consolidated Developments
Operator:Outernet London
Website:http://www.outernet.com

Outernet London is an entertainment, arts and culture district opened in 2022 in the West End of London. In an article in The Times newspaper in 2023, it claimed to be "London's most visited tourist attraction".[1] It is the largest digital exhibition space in Europe[2] with the "world's largest LED screen deployment".[3] [4] It is located adjacent to the 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.

Spaces/Venues

The district contains

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.

External links

51.5159°N -0.13°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: outernet-now-londons-most-visited-tourist-attraction-77rwqqzv3 . .
  2. Web site: Baron . Katie . Inside The Outernet: How The Billion Pound Concept Plans To Make Its Mark . 2022-11-08 . Forbes . en.
  3. Web site: 2019-11-18 . Outernet signs deal for 'world's largest' LED screen deployment . 2020-05-19 . CityAM . en-GB.
  4. Web site: 2019-11-18 . Outernet London to feature 'largest LED screens in the world' . 2020-05-19 . Prolific London . en.
  5. Web site: Outernet London . 2022-11-14 . www.outernetglobal.com . en.
  6. Web site: Outernet London . 2022-11-14 . www.outernetglobal.com . en.
  7. Web site: Outernet London . 2022-11-14 . www.outernetglobal.com . en.
  8. Web site: HERE at Outernet – The Future of Live Entertainment is HERE . 2022-11-14 . en-US.
  9. Web site: THE LOWER THIRD . 2022-11-14 . THE LOWER THIRD . en-US.
  10. Web site: Chateau Denmark - Rooms & Apartments in London - Chateau Denmark . 2022-11-14 . www.chateaudenmark.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2019-02-21 . Soho is getting a new 2,000-capacity music venue . 2019-02-24 . Evening Standard . en.
  12. Web site: Ridley Scott Creative Group, Outernet Team On Development/Production Platform For Immersive Content . 2020-05-20 . SHOOTonline . en.
  13. Web site: StackPath . 2020-05-20 . www.inavateonthenet.net.
  14. Web site: Warrington . James . 2019-05-13 . Outernet teams up with Technicolor for new London media landmark . 2019-05-22 . www.cityam.com . en.
  15. Web site: 2019-05-13 . Outernet teams up with Technicolor to create new London media landmark . 2020-05-19 . CityAM . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Outernet Global Partners With Technicolor for the Future of Immersive Entertainment . 2020-05-19 . www.technicolor.com . en.
  17. Web site: 2019-05-14 . Outernet Global Worldwide Co-production and Innovation Partnership with Technicolor Inc Paves Way for Future of Immersive Entertainment . 2020-05-19 . MarTech Series . en-US.
  18. News: Howard . Tom . Sir Ridley Scott's big screen pitch is high and mighty . . en . 2020-05-19 . 0140-0460.
  19. Web site: Ridley Scott Creative Group and Outernet Global announce Tomorrow Now . 2020-05-19 . shots . en.
  20. Web site: 2020-02-20 . London media hub Outernet signs video production deal with Ridley Scott . 2020-05-19 . CityAM . en-GB.
  21. Web site: Discover the Outernet London Hub . 2019-02-24 . Outernet London . en.
  22. Web site: Offices to rent in West end . 2019-02-24 . www.monmouthdean.com.
  23. Web site: Szajna-Hopgood . Ava . More change in London's West End as Outernet plans take hold - Retail Gazette . 2020-05-20 . en-GB.
  24. Web site: Outernet: Is London's new media hub the future of urban entertainment?. 2020-02-03. CityAM. en-GB. 2020-05-19.
  25. Web site: St Giles Circus Development . 2019-02-24 . www.skanska.co.uk . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Skanska signs £142 million contract to build St Giles Circus development . 2019-02-24 . www.skanska.co.uk . en-GB.
  27. Web site: 2016-03-22 . New grassroots music venue for Denmark Street . 2019-02-24 . Orms.
  28. Web site: Box in a box to avoid Crossrail vibrations. www.ianvisits.co.uk. en-GB. 2022-11-27.
  29. Web site: How Oxford Street lost its allure. Williams2019-04-25T11:05:00+01:00. Richard. Property Week. en. 2019-05-22.
  30. News: Fraser. Isabelle. 2019-11-13. Could this cube covered in high definition screens help save the high street?. en-GB. The Telegraph. 2020-05-19. 0307-1235.
  31. Web site: Outernet London: New 2,000-capacity music venue to open in Soho. www.msn.com. 2019-05-22.
  32. News: Burrows. Marc. 2015-01-20. London's music scene rocked by the death of Denmark Street. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-05-20. 0261-3077.
  33. News: Harris. John. 2015-02-06. A lament for the death of bohemian London John Harris. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-05-20. 0261-3077.
  34. Web site: London's Culture Death: What the City's Best Music Venues Look Like Now. Bethell. Emma Garland and Chris. 2016-09-29. Vice. en. 2020-05-20.
  35. News: The future of Denmark Street: rebirth opportunity or dystopian hell?. Hill. Dave. 2016-12-20. The Guardian. 2019-05-22. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  36. Web site: Denmark Street's not dead yet. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/denmark-streets-not-dead-yet-10008000.html . 24 May 2022 . subscription . live. 2015-01-28. The Independent. en. 2019-05-22.
  37. Web site: Plans announced for Tottenham Court Rd development - and it doesn't look good. 2017-07-24. Louder Than War. 2019-05-22.
  38. Web site: 2022-08-07 . The day the music died? Welcome to Denmark Street and Tottenham Court Road's new 'digitally enabled streetscape' . 2022-11-14 . the Guardian . en.
  39. Web site: 2022-10-28 . 'Why not just go the full Vegas?' The crass, ad-laden reinvention of central London . 2022-11-14 . the Guardian . en.
  40. Web site: ianVisits . 2022-11-09 . The transformation of Denmark Street and the Outernet . 2022-11-14 . ianVisits . en-GB.
  41. Web site: Outernet London venue bids to be 'beacon' for recovering live scene. www.musicweek.com. en. 2020-05-25.
  42. Web site: Could Tin Pan Alley's slick revamp be demo version for global cities?. 2020-01-15. Evening Standard. en. 2020-05-19.

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