IOC Olympic House
Lausanne, Switzerland
The new IOC headquarters building emerges from the ground on a plinth that blends into the surrounding landscape. The moving appearance of the emerging floors is emphasized by their relative rotation. The interior spaces gravitate around a large circular opening which houses the monumental staircase connecting the different building levels. This iconic staircase, which evokes the five Olympic rings, constitutes the actual core of the building, a light-flooded space simultaneously used as a lounge and circulation areas. The structural design sought a harmonious blending with the geometrical and spatial complexity of the architecture.