Chill Zone within the O2, London
Fan Space within the O2, London
Chill Zone within the O2, London
OR Consulting Engineers were responsible for the building services design, fire engineering strategy and building control compliance for Fan Space at the O2 Arena.
Fan Space
The Fan Space structure consists of three inflatable domes providing a multi-sensory interactive environment for visitors. Each dome provides a distinctly different experience of sound and light.
OR Consulting Engineers designed a cooling and ventilation strategy that provided both inflation for the structure and ventilation to the occupied space. Air cooled heat pumps were accommodated within the base of the inflatable structure alongside exhibition equipment, electrical panels and inflation plant. The heat pump units were used to create a reservoir of air within the base to safeguard equipment operation and supply conditioned air to the space. The inflatable structure itself was utilised to act as a supply air plenum and mesh panels were integrated within the internal skin to supply conditioned air to the space. The mesh design was optimised to maintain inflation pressure within the structure while providing sufficient conditioned air to the occupied space.
This approach served to reduce the space required for the plant and the capital cost of the installation.
Building Regulation Approval
The Fan Space structure represented a significant fire load within the O2. OR Consulting Engineers developed a fire engineering strategy (integrated with that of the O2) to achieve regulatory approval.
This was achieved though the following:
- Integrating the Fan Space fire alarm strategy with the existing O2 alarm system.
- Integrating the public address system with that of the O2.
- Informing material selections and detailing to compliment the O2 fire engineering strategy.
- Carrying out testing to demonstrate the deflation performance of the inflatable structure in an emergency scenario. This allowed the team to design out maintained electrical supplies and additional structural steelwork.
OR Consulting Engineers
Eden House, 1st Floor
23-25 Wilson Street
London
EC2M 2TE
020 70710730
info@orconsult.co.uk