Text description provided by the architects. PE2 is one of two buildings by EGA in the Olympic Village on l’Île Saint-Denis, Paris. EGA has also led the coordination of the work in one of the district’s blocks, the PE district.
During the 2024 Olympics, PE2 will accommodate 266 beds along with the activities of the Olympic Committee on the ground floor. After the games, the ground floor will be transformed into generous common spaces for the building’s students as well as for commerce. 134 studios and 8 two-room apartments are distributed over seven floors. All apartments are compact yet user-friendly, and, together with bright and welcoming common spaces, the student’s well-being and social lives are at the center.
PE2 is constructed using wood modules. These modules are transported via the Seine River to reduce carbon footprint and facilitate logistics. The modules can be disassembled and reused elsewhere, providing a high degree of flexibility for buildings that can be relocated or repurposed. Flexible and adaptable construction methods allow buildings to evolve to accommodate different purposes and needs. By applying for a “double planning permit,” the buildings in the Olympic Village can be repurposed from housing athletes and accompanying personnel during the Olympics to new functions after the games are over. This also serves as a good example of how other means beyond the ones at hand can influence and be strategically used in architectural and urban planning work.
