As the Olympics kicked off over the weekend, there were more than just world records in sports being taken down. The city of Paris is also setting records for one of the most sustainable Olympics to date.
Olympic host cities of the past have erected expensive and impressive stadiums for these events that later sit unused. Think of Beijing and the structures from 2008, seen abandoned in a 2018 photo series of the grounds.
Paris is ready to break that pattern. For example, the aquatic center is the focal point of arena design in Paris, and the building uses domestic timber for 50% of its construction. It is modular and large pieces of it were built remotely.
Cécilia Gross, partner at VenhoevenCS, explained the appeal of the wooden aquatic center saying, “We don’t have to paint it. It has warmth, it has color and it has a scent. You can smell it when you’re in the pool.”
According to a report from Bloomberg, “95% of Olympic events will take place at either preexisting or temporary venues (…) French authorities say that it will be the most economical Olympics in decades.”
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Besides the aquatic center, the basketball arena and the Olympic Village are the two other newly built venues for the Paris Olympics. Both of these other structures have a similar timber and glass look as the aquatic center. The basketball arena is also the future home of the Paris men’s basketball team and two public gyms.
It isn’t just the arenas that are focusing on sustainability, either. Paris spent the past several years expanding the city’s bike baths, now making Paris the first fully bicycle-accessible host city. There are 34 additional miles of bike paths and bike lanes. This move cuts down on parking issues and allows tourists a better view of Paris, from the bike seat. Many believe that Los Angeles could take notes on this project for the 2028 games, given the traffic situation in the U.S. city.
