Architecture

New Olympics HQ is a big win for sustainability

New Olympics HQ is a big win for sustainability
The Olympic House serves as workplace to a total of 500 staff
The Olympic House serves as workplace to a total of 500 staff
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The Olympic House is defined by its glazed facade
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The Olympic House is defined by its glazed facade
The Olympic House's glazed facade is meant to both reflect the IOC's commitment to transparency and emulate the movements of an athlete
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The Olympic House's glazed facade is meant to both reflect the IOC's commitment to transparency and emulate the movements of an athlete
The Olympic House's interior is centered around a large staircase that connects all five floors through a central atrium
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The Olympic House's interior is centered around a large staircase that connects all five floors through a central atrium
The Olympic House is topped by a solar panel array
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The Olympic House is topped by a solar panel array 
The Olympic House's solar panel array reduces the building's grid-based electricity needs
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The Olympic House's solar panel array reduces the building's grid-based electricity needs
The Olympic House also features a section of green roof
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The Olympic House also features a section of green roof
The Olympic House is located next to Lake Geneva
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The Olympic House is located next to Lake Geneva 
The Olympic House began construction in 2016 and was inaugurated earlier this month
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The Olympic House began construction in 2016 and was inaugurated earlier this month
The Olympic House construction costs are estimated at CHF 145 million (roughly US$150 million)
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The Olympic House construction costs are estimated at CHF 145 million (roughly US$150 million) 
The Olympic House has a monitoring system that tracks energy usage
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The Olympic House has a monitoring system that tracks energy usage
The Olympic House features a rainwater capture system
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The Olympic House features a rainwater capture system 
The Olympic House's rainwater capture system is used for irrigation and toilets
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The Olympic House's rainwater capture system is used for irrigation and toilets 
Additional trees were also planted during the build
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Additional trees were also planted during the build 
The Olympic House is defined by its glazed facade
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The Olympic House is defined by its glazed facade
The Olympic House's glazed facade is meant to both reflect the IOC's commitment to transparency and emulate the movements of an athlete
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The Olympic House's glazed facade is meant to both reflect the IOC's commitment to transparency and emulate the movements of an athlete
The Olympic House began construction in 2016 and was inaugurated earlier this month
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The Olympic House began construction in 2016 and was inaugurated earlier this month
The Olympic House serves as workplace to a total of 500 staff
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The Olympic House serves as workplace to a total of 500 staff
The Olympic House construction costs are estimated at CHF 145 million (roughly US$150 million)
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The Olympic House construction costs are estimated at CHF 145 million (roughly US$150 million)
The Olympic House has been awarded LEED Platinum (a green building standard)
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The Olympic House has been awarded LEED Platinum (a green building standard)
"A hallmark of 3XN’s design, the facade pays tribute to the Olympic spirit by emulating the graceful movements of an athlete," says the firm
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"A hallmark of 3XN’s design, the facade pays tribute to the Olympic spirit by emulating the graceful movements of an athlete," says the firm
The Olympic House's interior is centered around a large staircase that connects all five floors through a central atrium
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The Olympic House's interior is centered around a large staircase that connects all five floors through a central atrium
The Olympic House's staircase is named the Unity Staircase
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The Olympic House's staircase is named the Unity Staircase
The Olympic House's staircase references Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s iconic Olympic Rings design
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The Olympic House's staircase references Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s iconic Olympic Rings design
View gallery - 23 images

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently received a new headquarters in Switzerland, courtesy of 3XN. Featuring an eye-catching glazed facade, the building boasts significant sustainable design, including rainwater collection, solar panels, and the use of recycled materials.

The Olympic House, which also involved local firm IttenBrechbühl, is located in Lausanne, on the banks of Lake Geneva, adjacent to an 18th century castle. Its design is meant to reflect a commitment to transparency and an athlete in motion.

The Olympic House is topped by a solar panel array
The Olympic House is topped by a solar panel array 

"A hallmark of 3XN's design, the facade pays tribute to the Olympic spirit by emulating the graceful movements of an athlete," says the firm. "The dynamic, undulating flow of the facade appears differently from all angles, conveying the energy of an athlete in motion. In sports, movement leads to optimized performance; likewise, the formal manipulations of the building envelope have a direct effect on the building's functioning. Olympic House is a global icon and a symbol of the IOC, but it must also function as a busy workplace."

The interior layout of the building is flexible, with offices that can be reconfigured if required. A large and impressive central staircase references the iconic Olympic Rings design and connects all five floors through a central atrium.

The Olympic House's staircase references Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s iconic Olympic Rings design
The Olympic House's staircase references Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s iconic Olympic Rings design

The Olympic House received LEED Platinum (a green building standard) certification, the Swiss Sustainable Construction Standard, and the Swiss standard for energy-efficient buildings, Minergie P.

Some of the more notable sustainable features include a large rooftop solar panel array which reduces grid-based electricity requirements, while a rainwater collection system is used for irrigation and flushing toilets. Additionally, a pumping station draws water from the nearby Lake Geneva at a depth of 60 m (196 ft) to help maintain a comfortable temperature inside when combined with an efficient heat pump system.

Other measures include a focus on maximizing natural light inside, an attempt to reduce light pollution, and a partially green roof with terrace. A monitoring system optimizes energy usage and over 95 percent of a former administrative building's materials that previously stood on the site were reused or recycled during construction.

The Olympic House broke ground in 2016 and was inaugurated earlier this month. The estimated construction costs amount to CHF 145 million (roughly US$150 million) and it serves as workplace to a total of 500 staff.

Source: 3XN

View gallery - 23 images
3 comments
3 comments
ChairmanLMAO
sustainable parking...thanks be to whomever the employees don't have too look at those politically correct rings all day.
Wolf0579
I'm still waiting for the I.O.C. to be hauled up on racketeering charges along with FIFA.
mediabeing
May the stench of corruption never invade this building.