Olympic Aquatic Center: the desire to leave a lasting legacy after the Paris 2024 Games
The decision to locate the OAC in Saint-Denis was primarily driven by the desire to emphasize the Seine-Saint-Denis. A dynamic area in the Ile de France region of Paris.
After the Paris 2024 Games, the Olympic Aquatics Center will remain open for residents of the Paris metropolitan area and athletes from around the world.
“La Métropole, the contracting authority, has agreed that upon the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it will leave behind a legacy of a highly modern Olympic Aquatic Center with four different sized pools, including variable sizes. “It will be able to accommodate the French diving center and immediately accommodate 3,850 people, from school children to the strongest competitors,” Orier said.
Located in the heart of the Saulnier development area, OAC is part of an ambitious urban transformation It will create an attractive and accessible precinct and form the heart of a large 1.5 hectare park with around 450 trees.
This state-of-the-art facility offers European Swimming Championships, 26 July to 9 August 2026nearly 40 years after the last event was held in France.
“There was never a pool of this size in France,” Meliot explained. “That's why it was important to build it, and the Olympics made it possible.”
In the meantime, the OAC will be one of Saint-Denis' flagship venues. We aim to become a hub for sports and welcome families, schools, and organizations.
“If we want this facility to be an important part of our heritage, we need to come up with ideas and projects that allow families and children who need it to learn how to swim and improve their swimming skills. No,” Orie said. .
Bay windows allow you to observe various activities from outside and let in as much natural light as possible.
“Unlike, for example, an arena, which is in the dark and the spotlight is only on the playing field, this is a space where people come and live every day,” Melio continued. “What we wanted was something light and bright, but also neutral, as the idea was to have the blue water as the main color alongside the trees.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also highlighted the various possibilities offered by the OAC after the Olympics, saying the venue will be equipped with five-a-side football, a tennis padel court and a 1,000 square meter climbing gym.
“The structure will be adapted after the Olympics and will become a sports complex for everyone, allowing young people to participate not only in water activities and swimming, but also in sport climbing, soccer and padel.”
Users will continue to be able to enjoy public spaces even after the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. OAC's transformation into a legacy facility will begin in October 2024. Public release scheduled for June 2025.
“The idea behind the Olympic Aquatics Center is to achieve what we call the right balance: a space that looks large and comfortable because it is open, but not so large in terms of surface area. “It will attract the attention of the whole world. There will be a lot of spectators from all over the world and we should be proud of its construction,” Melio added.
