Mass-timber construction is becoming ubiquitous at the Olympic Games and the Paralympics. From Toyko to Canada, the Games have used the sustainable construction technique to build housing and event facilities for the world's greatest athletes.  

Sustainability was the key concept for Paris' Olympic Games. Venues at the Paris games are using mass timber construction for key venues, including the Athletes Village and the Aquatics Centre. There are still some new projects: The Olympic Village, north of Paris, will be an eco-quarter where all buildings under eight floors will be made from wood and glass, and all energy will be sustainably sourced via heat pumps and renewables. An 8000-capacity arena at Porte de la Chapelle, comprised of a recycled aluminum facade around a wooden structure, is destined to live on as the home for Paris’ basketball team, as well as two public gyms.

Architectural design companies VenhoevenCS with Ateliers 2/3/4/ won the competition to design the Aquatics Centre. The timber structure will be the only permanent venue built for the games. The center will feature a large timber roof, and the firms designed and prefabricated the components hundreds of miles away from Paris before assembling them.

In its project description, Ateliers said: 'Wood is at the heart of the AquaticCentre, giving its identity and shaping its structure. The thin, floating, and wavy roof offers the public a perfect view of the pools from the stands. The project exceeds the guidelines for sustainability. The roof is entirely covered with solar panels, making it one of the largest urban solar farms in France. It illustrates how sustainable design principles can create a new architecture, which improves the living environment of our cities."

Other examples of mass timber in the Olympics include:

• The Ariake Arena gymnastic stadium in Tokyo  for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Games was made from 24,000 square feet of timber and featured one of the world's largest wooden roofs
• Richmond Olympic Oval: Has an all-timber roof that was built for the 2010 Winter Olympics
• The 2026 Milan Winter Olympics will also feature a mass-timber Olympic Village designed by SOM with "minimal environmental impact."