The project
An official training venue for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Georges Vallerey swimming pool has undergone an exemplary renovation that combines heritage, sustainability, and innovation.
Having designed the original timber roof structure in the 1980s, Mathis managed the dismantling, recycling, and complete reconstruction of the glue-laminated timber roof. A significant portion of the dismantled wood – nearly 25 tonnes – was repurposed for on-site signage and furniture, representing a rare example of circular construction at this scale.
The challenge lay in reinventing an existing structure, faithful to its original design, while meeting today’s structural and environmental standards. The new roof, composed of twelve Douglas fir arches sourced from eco-certified forests in France’s Jura and Vosges regions, spans approximately 30 meters.
Blending engineering precision, circular economy, and architectural sensitivity, the project demonstrates Mathis’s ability to unite heritage and modernity in the true spirit of the Olympic Games.
