The International Olympic Committee has announced that it will inaugurate its new headquarters in Lausanne on this year’s Olympic Day.
Known as Olympic House, the inauguration on June 23 will coincide with the 125th anniversary of the creation of the IOC.
Located in the Vidy area of the Swiss city, close to the Lake Geneva shoreline, the new headquarters is expected to cost a “maximum” of CHF200 million (£159 million/$207 million/€181 million).
The IOC first decided to move ahead with the project in 2014, with their previous headquarters on the same site now demolished.
Five hundred staff who work for the organisation are currently spread across four locations in the Olympic capital, but the new building will bring them together under one roof.
Designed by Danish architecture firm 3XN, the building will feature an all-glass façade with 80 per cent of the construction completed by local companies.
It is being built with sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices very much in mind.
This includes the use of lake water, solar power and natural lighting.
There will be a hospitality floor on the lowest level alongside a welcome area, a restaurant, a sports cafe and five large meeting rooms.
Three floors of offices will lie above it.
A winding staircase structure is aiming to “symbolically echo the unifying aspirations of the Olympic rings” as well as encourage movement and communication.
An underground car park lies in front of the building, although it will be fully hidden by a grass lawn.
More than 100 trees will be planted at the site.
The first stone of the building was symbolically laid in December 2015 in a ceremony attended by IOC President Thomas Bach.
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