How do you improve on the landscape of the City of Lights, the birthplace of Gothic and Art Deco styles, a city filled with some of the most iconic buildings of the last 600 years? If there is an answer to this question, it is definitely NOT to build more sporting venues and parking lots, and in recognition of this, the Paris 2024 organizing committee set out to fulfill its obligations to the games in the least invasive and most sustainable way possible.
Historically, building structures for the Olympics has seemed like a long-term benefit for a location, but in practice, it has rarely delivered without significant post Olympic investment. For example, London's Olympic Stadium, built at a cost of £486 million, required an additional £326 million pounds to convert it to a new home for the West Ham football team, and parts of Rio's Carioca Stadium are unused and being dismantled in favor of public schools.
Unlike previous Summer Olympics, Paris 2024 decided against large-scale permanent additions to the city, and instead opted for temporary structures to accommodate the Games. Key to this effort was architectural manager Adriana Figeiredo, who brought 25 years as a project manager specializing in architecture and urban planning projects and her expertise in sustainability and design to adapting and creating temporary additions to the Paris West venues, including the historic Stade Yves du Manoir, which was first utilized for the Paris Olympics in 1924.
Adriana Figueiredo spoke to Live Design about her work on the Summer Games.
Live Design: What attracted you to this project?
Adriana Figueiredo: Ever since I can remember, I have been passionate about the Olympics and the Olympic values. I had the opportunity of working for Rio 2016 Games as a design consultant for the city of Rio. Following the Olympic “circus” was not on my plan after Rio, but destiny placed this opportunity at my door again.
My background in architecture naturally led me to project management, allowing me to expand my work beyond architecture to encompass design and urban planning. During my time as a consultant for AECOM in Brazil, where I served as a project manager, I worked closely with various stakeholders, including the Brazilian federal government and local agencies. This experience was invaluable in learning the crucial operational methods of the Olympic games. Following that, I led the Brazil Green Finance and Future Cities Programs for the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, managing funds to improve lives and reduce poverty in Brazil. When the Olympics approached me for my current role, I knew I was well equipped as a result of my previous work experiences.
While I now primarily manage internal stakeholders, I draw extensively on the lessons learned from my experiences in Rio. The opportunity to blend my project management skills with my passion for the Olympics became a once-in-a-lifetime moment and has been incredibly fulfilling. I’m confident I can manage any project, but I choose to use my project management skills to do what really interests me.
LD: Tell us about your scope of work on this massive project?
AF: As an architectural manager my role was to overview the architects’ work on the design development of Paris West venues - Stade Yves du Manoir, Stade Roland Garros, North Paris Arena (Villepinte Exhibition Center) and South Paris Arena (Porte de Versailles Exhibition Center), in addition to the media sites - IBC (International Broadcast Center) and MPC (Media Press Center).
Although Paris used some landmarks and public spaces as competition venues, the sites that I worked with were existing venues to which we needed to add temporary elements that met Olympic requirements and adapted the venue for this specific use.
In terms of aesthetics, the temporary elements used were mostly standard industrial items like tents, maritime containers, and “bungalows.” This was crucial to meet the tight deadlines for the site work. Some strategic items were designed using wood, for example, built by local suppliers.
LD: What choices did you make for sustainability?
AF: There was a Central Design team working together with the Sustainability Department on a Sustainable Design Guide, providing general information to guide our decisions. As each venue has a different characteristic, functional and physical, the choices had to be customized to fit the current situation. The Guide gave direction on the choice of materials, type of ventilation and shadings, and advised on energy usage.
As the architecture creation was a bit constrained, the final aspect of the venues is given by the Look and Signage Department that works on a centralized graphic design approach to apply to all venues. In general, they have some standardized and modular pieces of design prepped to be easily applied to the industrial architectural elements.
LD: What will happen to these structures?
AF: Temporary structures are intended to last until the end of the Games and standard structures will be dismantled by their suppliers. According to the Sustainability Plan, and based on Circular economy principles, other elements will be reused or recycled to avoid waste.
LD: How does the design incorporate lighting requirements?
AF: In terms of light, each sport has its own requirements and should be specifically treated on a case-by-case basis. Television broadcasting requires a very controlled environment in terms of lighting. For the Olympic Broadcast, no natural light is allowed in indoor venues, therefore we needed to install blinds throughout to avoid light creeping in. The architects, in coordination with Sports Presentation and technology teams, had to accommodate all audio and video equipment needed in the venue spaces.
LD: What was the biggest challenge on this project?
AF: One of the biggest challenges for me on this project, personally, was having arrived towards the end of 2022, when the projects have already been defined in their major arrangements. There was no room for modifications. So, I needed take a picture of the projects and try to understand how to contribute and accommodate the new requirements. Another real challenge is to deal with changes proposed from the internal clients. The designs have milestones to meet, and requests inevitably come after a milestone approval. This is a challenge, but it is the designer’s task to try to accommodate all needs for a space without impacting other spaces. It is like a puzzle – meant to be constantly rearranged.
LD: What takeaways can the live entertainment community learn from this approach to live event infrastructure?
AF: I think integrated design is key for the success of an event project. We need all areas - food and beverage, sports, logistics, spectator’s services - to be in constant dialogue, both to understand each other’s needs and constraints, and to balance the priorities of design. I am very proud of contributing to a big and universal event based on strong values as the Olympics. While most of our work involves meticulous attention to specific details, seeing those efforts come together to create something magnificent is inexplicably rewarding. Each element designed, no matter how small, played a crucial role in the larger picture of the Games. Knowing that our collective grains of sand have formed a spectacular beach that will inspire and unite people worldwide is an achievement beyond words.
Adriana Figueiredo holds a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning, and a master's degree in Sustainability and Design. Over the years, Figueiredo has built a distinguished career as a consultant for companies and local governments, specializing in Architecture and Urban Planning projects. She has also managed international assistance programs for Brazil, with a particular focus on Sustainable Cities and Green Finance. She is skilled in managing and coordinating public and private projects and implementing programs involving public administration, multilateral organizations, and private consultants in multicultural environments. Figueiredo is most interested in aspects of integrated, interdisciplinary and inclusive planning of the built environment; sustainable development; urban transformations, resilience and smart cities.