3XN

On June 23rd, during the worldwide celebration of Olympic Day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) inaugurated its new headquarters, Olympic House.

Designed by Danish architecture firm 3XN, Olympic House aims to bring together the IOC staff – 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 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, 3XN teamed with Swiss architecture firm IttenBrechbühl to oversee the construction of the project.

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

Olympic House is located in a public park, home to the eighteenth-century castle Château de Vidy, on the shores of Lake Geneva. 3XN approached the project with the intent to achieve the highest level of integration with the unique natural and historical setting while creating an emblematic architectural landmark for the local community. The resultant design respects both the Château’s legacy and the park setting, establishing seamless transitions between the green public space and Olympic House.

A hallmark of 3XN’s design, the façade pays tribute to the Olympic spirit by emulating the graceful movements of an athlete. The dynamic, undulating flow of the façade 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’s envelope have a direct effect on how it functions.

The Unity Staircase, which references the Olympic Rings, soars the full height of the building and connects the five floors through a central atrium. Following the principles of active design, the oak staircase and its periphery define the central area for social activity and movement, promoting a sense of community. Exhibition spaces, a cafeteria and meeting rooms are also arranged around the central staircase, promoting a sense of community for the 500 regular users.

More than an office building, Olympic House is a privately funded investment in sustainability and has been confirmed as one of the most sustainable buildings in the world. Olympic House was built with the strong ambition to meet the most demanding sustainability standards both locally and internationally. It was awarded LEED Platinum, the highest certification level of the international LEED green building program. Additionally, Olympic House obtained the highest (Platinum) level of the Swiss Sustainable Construction Standard (SNBS), and was awarded the Swiss standard for energy-efficient buildings, Minergie P. It has been designed as a sustainable building in terms of both construction and operations, with special efforts put into energy and water efficiency, waste reduction and landscape integration. Innovative features that minimize the building’s environmental footprint, without compromising the quality of the workspace, demonstrate the IOC’s shared commitment to sustainability.

This strong commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the construction process. Olympic House is an exemplary paradigm of circular economy in construction: 95% of materials from the former administrative buildings on the site were either reused or recycled. Additionally, Olympic House sets a unique example for innovative collaboration between different stakeholders, including the IOC, some of the Worldwide Olympic Partners (Dow, Toyota, and Panasonic), the architects (3XN and IttenBrechbühl), sustainability certification bodies, local authorities, suppliers and academics.