BOA President Simons Attends Olympic House Opening
IslandStats.com
Bermuda Olympic Association President Judy Simons was in attendance as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially inaugurated its new headquarters during the celebration of Olympic Day. In 2019 this symbolic day marked the 125th anniversary of the creation of the IOC.
The inauguration of Olympic House was the culmination of a journey that started back in 2012 when the IOC decided to move ahead with the consolidation of its head office.
Olympic House is a privately funded investment in sustainability. The sustainability approach is threefold:
•It has the strong ambition to meet the most demanding sustainability standards both locally and internationally. 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.
•It aims to regroup all IOC staff in one location, resulting in cost savings and increased collaboration.
•It also represents an investment by the IOC in the local economy and development. Eighty per cent of the construction costs have been spent with local companies hence contributing to the development of local competencies.
Developed by Danish architecture firm 3XN, Olympic House will allow the IOC to bring together its staff – 500 employees currently spread across Lausanne in four locations – under one roof at a single site. Selected by the IOC in April 2014 after an international architecture competition, 3XN partnered with Swiss architects IttenBrechbühl to oversee the construction of the project.
From 23 June onwards, the IOC will benefit from two Olympic centers in Lausanne: Olympic House in Vidy to cater for its administration and offer a welcoming meeting place for all its stakeholders; and The Olympic Museum and the Olympic Studies Centre in Ouchy to host the general public.
