Copenhagen-based architecture practice 3XN has officially announced that the sinuous-formed Olympic House will be opened to the public on June 23rd, 2019 in Parc Louis Bourget in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Set to be opened during the worldwide celebration of Olympic Day, the new Olympic House aims to bring together the IOC staff and 500 employees currently spread across Lausanne in four locations - under one roof at a single site. 

The IOC decided in 2014 to move ahead with the consolidation of its head office and 3XN was selected to design the project through a multi-stage, international architecture competition certified by the International Union of Architects and led by a jury of renowned architects. Following the competition, Swiss architecture firm IttenBrechbühl worked in partnership with 3XN to oversee the construction of the project. 

Following the IOC’s brief, the Olympic House is shaped around five key objectives: movement, transparency, flexibility, sustainability, and collaboration, each of which translates the Olympic Movement’s core values into built form. 

The building authentically reflects Olympism, the Olympic Movement and the role of the IOC as a catalyst for collaboration in an iconic and transparent way. 

"It was the essence of the Olympic Movement and its values that served as the basis of inspiration for the design," explained Kim Herforth Nielsen, founder and principal of 3XN. 

"The Olympic House seeks to establish a quality working environment that brings together all the IOC staff under one roof. Every decision we made was evaluated for its applicability to the primary goals and values of the IOC."

"3XN approached the project with the intent to achieve the highest level of integration with the unique natural and historical setting of the park," said the firm in a press release.

Developed in close consultation with the local authorities, the Olympic House will offer the region an emblematic architectural landmark and become an important element of the local Louis Bourget public park that welcomes a diverse group of visitors every year. 

A hallmark of 3XN’s design, the façade of the Olympic House pays tribute to the Olympic spirit by emulating the graceful movements of an athlete. 3XN’s design prioritizes transparency and flow to facilitate and encourage interaction, communication, and knowledge sharing between the IOC staff while creating a highly efficient and sustainable workspace. 

The Unity Staircase, which references the Olympic Rings, soars the full height of the building and connects the five floors through a central atrium. Innovative features that minimize the building’s environmental footprint, without compromising the quality of the workspace, demonstrate the IOC’s commitment to sustainability. 

The building has a strong ambition to meet the most demanding sustainability standards both locally and internationally and has been designed to favour energy and water efficiency, waste reduction and landscape integration. 

Privately funded, the Olympic House represents an investment by the IOC into the local economy and confirms the organization’s attachment to Lausanne, the Olympic Capital. The Olympic House is a unique example of innovative collaboration between different stakeholders, including the IOC, the Worldwide Olympic Partners (The Dow, Toyota and Panasonic), the architects (3XN and IttenBrechbühl), sustainability certification bodies, local authorities, suppliers and academics. 

Top image © Forbes Massie

Other images courtesy of 3XN

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