Athletes' Village Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Athletes' Village Paris 2024 Olympic Games
TRIPTYQUE + chaixetmorel.
ARCHITECTS
Triptyque, Chaixetmorel.
CLIENT
Vinci Immobilier
PROJECT TEAM
Guillaume Sibaud, Olivier Ra Aëlli, Esther Quehennen, Sébastien Tison, Alexandre Pierrard, Thibault Patou
LOCATION
France
CATEGORY
Apartments
Text description provided by architect.
Triptyque proudly presents its latest project in the Olympic and Paralympic Village in Saint-Denis, Paris. Designed to accommodate 450 athletes from the United States during the 2024 Summer Games, the Universeine building is a pioneering example of sustainable urban development and adaptable architecture.
After the Games, the project will be transformed into social housing, part of a new and vibrant neighborhood in the rapidly evolving district around the Cité du Cinéma.
LOCATION AND CONTEXT
Situated in the heart of the Universeine eco-district and the ZAC of the Olympic and Paralympic Village, the building is at the center of the transformation of northern Paris. Historically industrial and economically underdeveloped, this area is undergoing a renewal to become a model of sustainable and inclusive urban living.
The main façade of the building, designed by Triptyque, forms a public square with the Cité du Cinéma, Olympic Athletes Village Paris 2024, creating a visually recognizable and engaging urban landmark.
ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT: REVERSIBILITY AND MIXED-USE DESIGN
The architectural approach of the project addresses two crucial contemporary challenges: reversibility and mixed-use functionality. The residences are distributed across four pavilions, with layouts designed to optimize light and ventilation.
The common areas face outward, while the bedrooms are positioned internally to ensure privacy and thermal comfort. The building’s exoskeleton provides each unit with a private balcony, ranging from 5 to 21.7 square meters, creating additional outdoor spaces for residents to connect with nature and their surroundings.
"The idea was not to create an athletes' village, but a new neighborhood for the city, promoting change in less favored areas," said Guillaume Sibaud, co-founder of Triptyque.
During the Games, the 300 rooms will be used as temporary housing for the United States delegation, each approximately 15 square meters. After September, these units will be converted into 125 apartments ranging from 30 to 105 square meters for long-term social housing.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FEATURES
The Universeine project seeks E3C1 certification under France's E+C- (Energy + Carbon) label, recognizing buildings with positive energy and low carbon emissions. The building's low-carbon concrete core is wrapped in wooden panels for insulation and cladding.
This layered structure reduces temperature fluctuations, minimizes the need for artificial cooling, and encourages cross-ventilation, further enhancing energy efficiency. Active and passive sustainability measures include:
An active green roof to promote biodiversity.
The use of water as a resource for urban cooling.
Solar panel installations for renewable energy generation.
Ample natural light and careful solar orientation to reduce energy consumption. Extensive bicycle storage capacity and charging stations for electric vehicles promote sustainable mobility.
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND SOCIAL TIES
The design of the project promotes community interaction and social ties through shared green spaces and commercial areas on the ground floor. Shops and offices will create a dynamic mixed-use environment that will ensure the neighborhood's vitality beyond the Olympic Games.
After the Games, the neighborhood will be home to approximately 6,000 residents and will create 6,000 jobs, supported by three hectares of parks and seven hectares of gardens. The modular and reversible design of the apartments will offer flexibility to adapt to the community's needs over time.
COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION
The Universeine project reflects the spirit of collaboration that defined the entire development of the Olympic Village.
Triptyque worked closely with Solideo (the company responsible for constructing the village) and other international architecture firms to create a cohesive and forward-looking urban landscape.
Each firm presented its building models and made adjustments based on group discussions, resulting in a more integrated and harmonious neighborhood.
"The Olympic Village was a major project, a pioneering neighborhood in terms of its sustainability goals and material use," said Sibaud.
"It is inspiring to know that the building for the United States delegation was designed by a Franco-Brazilian office and will serve as a model for future developments."
A LEGACY OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN LIVING
Beyond its role in the Olympic Games, the Universeine building exemplifies Triptyque's commitment to environmental responsibility and community-centered design.
By combining cutting-edge sustainability practices with flexible, human-centered architecture, this project will leave a lasting impact on the metropolitan region of Paris for many years to come.
