Opening ceremony of the Olympic House
The ceremony dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the IOC marked the official opening of the new headquarters of the International Olympic Committee on the shores of Lake Geneva.
On the opening ceremony of the Olympic House, IOC President Thomas Bach said: "The Olympic House is an embodiment of our mission and our values."
The headquarter has an area of 22,000 square meters. Its value is 145 million Swiss francs ($ 147 million).
The wind-like flow of the facade of the Olympic House from the glass reflects the essence of the sports movement. Its interior, which is supported by only four central columns and 14th pillars, shows its structural flexibility.
One of the most striking designer features of the Olympic House was the Stairs of Unity made of steel and wood, the flight of which is equal to the entire height of the building. Stairs, which unite all its floors, are a clear expression of cooperation between the IOC and national Olympic committees around the world.
The headquarters complex includes the Chateau de Vidi (the old building of the headquarters) - a house of the XVI century, which is included in the list of historical monuments.
The inauguration was attended by about 700 guests, including the President of Switzerland Uli Maurer, members of the IOC, representatives of 206 national Olympic committees and international sports federations and 125 Olympic champions. Ukraine was represented by the president of the NOC of Ukraine, a member of the IOC, Serhiy Bubka, a member of the IOC Executive Board Valeriy Borzov and a member of the IOC Commission on Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission, Vice-President of the NOC of Ukraine, President of the Olympic Academy of Ukraine Maria Bulatova.
