September 26 2013

Foster + Partners SSE Hydro has been officially unveiled for the first time today with the SECC, architects and Glasgow City Council rolling out the red carpet for the venues inaugural performance - by Admiral Fallow.

The 13,000 capacity arena is set to play host to a packed programme of events as centrepiece of the city’s cultural output, welcoming artists and bands as well as comedians and sporting events.

Rising to 45m in height the futuristic dome has been inspired by the amphitheatres of ancient Greece and Rome, with all seats enjoying unobstructed lines of sight and state of the art acoustics.

Externally a translucent ETFE skin draws attention to the landmark, capable of displaying 12.8m colours and moving imagery which can be projected onto the canopy.

Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Foster + Partners said: “With its vast steel roof and capacity for 13,000, this is the largest performance arena that the practice has designed – operationally, it allows performers a great deal of freedom in staging events, and visually, its form helps to capture the excitement of a concert.

"We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with SECC once again, almost 18 years since we were first commissioned to design the Clyde Auditorium. The SSE Hydro has been a great team effort and it is fantastic to see the arena come to life for its first concert.”

Photography by Neale Smith and Foster + Partners.

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