O2 Arena London - Vision Guard Sliding Shutters
The O2 arena is the first purpose built music venue in London since the Royal Albert Hall was built in 1871. Located in Greenwich on the banks of the River Thames, it's an iconic building, and we've had the joy of installing a set of FlexiGlide sliding shutters to the bars at the O2.
The choice for FlexiGlide sliding shutters
There are 3 large bar areas in the shape of long, curved islands. These needed to be closed off and secured when not is use. Traditional roller shutters wouldn't work due to the bars' rounded designs. Flexiglide sliding shutters turned out to be perfect for the job as they are horizontally driven, lightweight and able to accommodate curves. This meant that that the shutters enclosed the island bars fully whilst also offering security and easy operation.
Vision Guard sliding shutters to bar islands
The Flexiglide Vision Guard sliding shutters were specified to close off the 3 isolated island bars for the main O2 event area. The overall lengths of the shutters are one of 20 metres, and two of 15 metres each.
The photos below show the result.
Vision Guard shutters were the logical choice, because they are strong as well as lightweight (tap the photos for a larger version).
Sliding security shutter challenges
This was a challenging project as there was no support in place and the ceiling height was over 4 metres high. On top of that there was a multitude of structures such as HVAC and lighting, in the way of the shutter support.
The main challenge was bringing support through the HVAC and lighting supports, to hold the sliding shutters in place. This was achieved through a mixture of Unistrut and timber support coming down from the ceiling beam at irregular intervals. The design involved a structural engineer and our engineer team to create a suitable design to hold the shutters in place.
To add the challenge, once we had worked out all the supports to the shutters, new retail structures had been created on the bar which caused an additional redesign before installation.
Why FlexiGlide sliding shutters were the perfect solution
The bar-islands that the shutters needed to enclose are located away from walls and other supports. In practise this meant that traditional roller shutters could never work, because there was nothing to fix them to.
FlexiGlide sliding shutters are top-hung and don't need any support on the side. They lock into floorsockets at regular intervals, creating a secure curtain. When not in use they slide out of the way, leaving the opening completely free.
Additional advantages
- FlexiGlide sliding shutters can follow any curve, so they are perfect for rounded and curved openings;
- Our sliding shutters are made from strong but lightweight aluminium, so they need much less support than traditional roller shutters;
- FlexiGlide shutters hang down from a 42mm high top-track. Compared to roller shutters (that typically need around 300mm at the top) this is a minimum amount of headroom;
- We supply sliding shutters in various designs, from fully closed off to completely transparent and everything in between. There's always a sliding shutter that will work well in your situation.
- FlexiGlide sliding shutters work without the need for a bottom track. So there is nothing on the floor for people to trip over.
Full list of FlexiGlide sliding shutter advantages.
Closing thoughts
The resulting shutters work well and we're very happy with the result. It was a privilege to be able to work on one of London's prestigious building projects and we're proud that FlexiGlide sliding shutters were specified.
If you're visiting the O2 Arena for a show or concert, keep an eye open for the sliding shutters at the bar areas.
More information
And of course, if you're also considering sliding shutters for a project, we want to hear from you. We're always happy to meet on site or work from design drawings. Contact FlexiGlide to talk to an expert and find out how we can help you.
Photo credits
O2 Arena photos courtesy of AEG Europe UK Press Office. FlexiGlide Vision Guard photos © HVP Security Shutters Ltd.