The IOC's new Olympic House.

Movement, transparency, flexibility, sustainability, and collaboration – these attributes not only characterize the working methods of the Kalzip company very well but were also the construction requirements for the new Olympic House of the IOC, which was built near Lake Geneva, close to Lausanne (CH).

It was clear that this already fitted together well from the beginning and nothing stood in the way of a successful project.

It’s not all just facade… but a lot is.

Lake Geneva is a protected area, so integration into the surrounding environment was one of the highest priorities in planning and construction. The modern design of the new headquarters of the Olympic Committee utilizes plant elements to create pathways and viewpoints while preserving local biodiversity to achieve a perfect symbiosis between nature and architecture.

The fully glazed, double-walled facade symbolizes the IOC’s desired openness, allows natural daylight to penetrate deep into the building, and offers a breathtaking view of the lake, naturally with optimal thermal insulation values. The wavy flow of the facade appears different from all angles and mimics the energy of an athlete in motion.

Another interesting belief of the 3XN architectural office overseeing the project is that architecture can shape behaviour. Therefore, the transparency and flow of the spectacular building design are also intended to facilitate and improve interaction, communication, and knowledge exchange among employees, while the optimized air circulation has a positive effect on collaboration and solidarity among the staff.

Due to this complex building geometry, a flexible roofing system was needed that can adapt to the different conditions and high requirements. Kalzip’s FlexiCon RR80 substructure system exceeds all the necessary specifications, and in combination with the Kalzip 65/333 profiled panels, the exceptional shape of the roof was effortlessly realized.

Award-winning sustainability in all facets – also for the employees.

Of course, sustainability also plays a central role in the Olympic House. The building minimizes its ecological footprint through innovative features such as excellent insulation, triple glazing, and solar cells integrated into the roof, which ensure efficient energy supply for the building.
The use of lake water for heating and cooling, as well as the selection of sustainable and recyclable aluminium building materials, also contribute to the building’s unique sustainability and ecological balance.

So, it almost goes without saying that the Olympic House has also received several high sustainability awards, including the rare LEED Platinum certificate, a SNBS Platinum award for the use of sustainable building materials, and the Swiss energy efficiency award Minergie P.

Thus, the new administrative building of the Olympic Committee has become a prime example of an employee-friendly and sustainable workplace of the 21st century, reflecting not only the values and identity of the IOC but also serving as a model for sustainable and forward-looking architecture worldwide.