O2 World topping-out ceremony

The topping-out wreath for one of the most modern multi-functional arenas in the world was raised in the presence of the governing mayor, almost one year after the cornerstone ceremony, marking 12 months of solid construction progress on the sports and entertainment venue.

The Managing Director of Anschutz Entertainment Group, Detlef Kornett, delivered a positive interim 12-month report to around 400 guests and builders. “I would like to thank all of the builders who have worked on this project for their commitment. You are all part of an exciting project that will generate excitement across the whole of Berlin from autumn 2008. This excitement is already detectable, and it is helping us achieve our ambitious targets for the marketing of the arena. With O2 Germany we have brought on board our absolute dream-ticket partner for the name rights. With Inbev, Gasag, Coca-Cola and Eurohypo we have acquired four well-known companies as founding partners of O2 World, as early as one year before the opening.”

Kornett invited the Berliners to form their own impressions of O2 World at the Building Site Open Day to be held on November 10. According to Mayor Wowereit, the project represents an opportunity to acknowledge Berlin as a prime location. “All Berliners can look forward to this events location,” he said. “With O2 World, Berlin will host a modern and unique stage for music, sporting and entertainment highlights.”

The topping-out ceremony traditionally marks the end of the construction of the shell of the building and the erection of the roof structure. Since the cornerstone ceremony, around 210 workers have so far put in place around 31,000 cubic metres of cement and 4800 tons of reinforcing steel in the building that measures 160m by 130m by 35m.

The roof construction, which weighs 1770 tons, is planned for mid-October. The arena is also coming together externally: the structure of the 1440-cubic-metre LED facade is already detectable; a large portion of the glass panes of the 3500 cubic metre exterior windows for the front and side facades have already been installed, and the cement of the exterior facade is currently being embellished with around 1000 Portuguese limestone tiles and granite from China.

The arena is currently being built on the grounds of the former east goods depot between Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Brücke, and will be one of the most modern multi-functional venues in the world. It will be the future setting of sports and entertainment highlights in Berlin, with up to 17,000 visitors able to experience top-class concert, sport and entertainment events as of August 2008. The technical facilities of O2 World will ensure not only optimal acoustics and the best level of visibility from all seats, but will also permit the location to be converted from a concert to a sports arena in just a few hours.