The Aquatics Centre is organized around water and its Olympic history, but especially around the practice of sports to create a dynamic and lively place, fostering exchanges and encounters.
A grand and open space, the Olympic stadium is at the heart of the complex. The roof, stretched with wooden beams, magnifies the space thanks to its dynamic curves that make it both intimate and airy. Adapted to open heights and optimal visibility from the stands, this sculpted membrane seems to move and undulate like a living organism.
In this immense cathedral dedicated to aquatic sports, there is no false ceiling or cladding. The space is created merely with the highlighted structure. The inverted vault of the roof present both inside and outside, wood offers a grand continuity to the project. It invites the visitor to enter, sets the rhythm of the pathway and filters light and views. It also makes it possible to obtain rich colour and softness in the spaces where it is exposed. The structural elements of the sports stadium are all made of wood, implementing a unique and unexpected system that creates the magic of the place.
The roof is supported by stretched wooden beams of a very long span, which are themselves pulled by oblique glulam tie beams. This technical feat of construction associates the efficiency of the volume (less air to heat in the stadium) with the project’s symbolic architectural dynamism. It also makes it possible in a single gesture to resolve structural, acoustical, and aesthetic constraints with one simple, delicate, and light construction system: the roof surges upward and flies.
Outside the wood slats made of pre-greyed Douglas encircle the building and serve as the acoustic, aeraulic, and solar protection while offering a sheltered entrance space that is both welcoming and lively.
