A Powerhouse of Dance: O’Donnell + Tuomey’s Sadler’s Wells East

10 years ago, O’Donnell + Tuomey won the competition to design new cultural landmarks at London’s East Bank in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. This week they opened their first project, the dance powerhouse Sadler’s Wells East. ODT’s East Bank work is an unrivalled opportunity for an Irish architectural practice to not only deliver a renowned UK cultural institution, but to shape a prominent new urban area in East London that has become an exciting hub of culture and education.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan described Sadler’s Wells East as a “fantastic example of what it will achieve as we build a better London for everyone.”

The Sadler’s Wells East comprises a 550-seat flexible theatre and six dance studios as well as a riverside cafe. It supports leading practitioners, while inviting its local community to experience dance in all its forms. The red brick building with its saw-tooth roof and references to the area’s industrial past has a striking presence on the East Bank riverside, while revealing its spatial complexities only when viewed ‘in-the-round’.

O’Donnell + Tuomey’s V&A East – a cultural companion piece with a striking sculptural form – is scheduled for completion in 2026, followed by a new residential project, The Prow. The East Bank also hosts BBC Music Studios, London College of Fashion, and University College London East.

Read more: odonnell-tuomey.ie