Olympic House - IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland by 3XN

“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, co-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. Our design prioritizes transparency and flow to facilitate and encourage interaction, communication and knowledge sharing, and to create a highly efficient and sustainable workspace.”

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.

“The design allows the daily work and movements of the IOC staff to be visible through the transparent façade, reflecting the fair play and openness of the IOC,” says Jan Ammundsen, partner and Head of Design at 3XN. Transparency becomes an important metaphor for the Olympic Movement’s responsibility, and the operation of the IOC as a global organization that promotes the values of respect, friendship, and excellence.

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.

“We collaborated with leading specialists and manufacturers, following a holistic approach that ensures sustainability for the building’s entire life cycle” explains Robin Kirschke, partner at IttenBrechbühl. The building’s envelope allows excellent insulation through airtightness and the triple glazing on the internal skin of the facade. Water efficient sanitary equipment and rainwater capture significantly reduce the building’s water consumption. Solar panels placed to underline the roof design, minimize the need for electricity from the grid.

Another important sustainability feature is the use of lake water through heat exchange for the heating and cooling of the building.