undulating timber aquatics center wins competition for 2024 paris olympics

architecture studio venhoevenCS with ateliers 2/3/4/ presents its winning competition entry for the design of the new aquatics center in saint-denis to will be completed for the 2024 olympic games in paris. the timber structure was developed in cooperation with bouygues bâtiment ile-de-france, récréa, dalkia and an extensive team of consultants. the design includes a new pedestrian bridge that links to the existing ‘stade de france.’ the bridge will express the new gateway to the paris olympics aquatics center and the upcoming eco-neighborhood in saint-denis which will be created after the games.

images by proloog

the aquatics center and pedestrian bridge is envisioned by the team at venhoevenCS and ateliers 2/3/4/ to generate an unforgettable experience of the 2024 paris olympic games. the project will further serve to introduce an innovative and monumental aquatics center to the people in saint-denis — a place to learn how to swim, to practice sports, to relax and meet. surpassing environmental regulations and requirements, sustainability and biodiversity are key in all aspects of the design. it is a modern and innovative sports complex surrounded by abundant vegetation that contributes to a livable and healthy city district for the people in saint-denis.

in the design of the olympic aquatics center in paris, venhoevenCS and ateliers 2/3/4/ express a conceptual influence from nature. while the natural environment is continuously evolving and adapting to changing circumstances, the aquatics center invites nature itself in the heart of the new ‘city-district-in-the-making’ of saint-denis. the compact proposal maintains enough space for one hundred trees that will be planted to improve the quality of life and air, stimulate biodiversity and create new ecological connections. the international competition saw an entry by MAD architects with its luminous outer skin, along with an entry by MVRDV defined by a vertical green park.