20,000 square metres of Laminam ceramic surfaces cover the exterior of the Village built for athletes from all over the world.
Born from the restyling of a former steel mill in the heart of Beijing’s industrial district, the Olympic and Paralympic Village will welcome athletes for the entire duration of the Winter Games. The architectural complex is enriched by the majestic facades covered with large ceramic slabs which, broken up by large windows, bear the signature of LAMINAM’s Made in Italy design.
The construction process, which lasted a good three years, underpins the ambitious goal of the project’s Chief Architect Bo Hongtao who, motivated by the desire to preserve the pre-existing industrial character, chose to explore innovative architectural solutions, revisiting the original site in a contemporary and above all sustainable way.
The choice of Laminam ceramic surfaces fits in perfectly with the idea of urban conservation and technological innovation, giving central importance to assessing the environmental impact of every building construction.
Laminam slabs are not only highly resistant to mechanical stress, chemicals and wear, but also perfectly meets the stylistic requirements of the architect. The finish Moro of the Oxide series, in fact, replicate the effects of different weather conditions on iron, creating extraordinary effects with lights that further emphasise the magnificent facades. . In addition, allow an architectural renovation in harmony with the industrial and underground style of the original area.
“The Beijing Olympic Village project is based on three main pillars: continuity, innovation and sustainability,” says Bo Hongtao. While steel was the most consistent aesthetic solution, I could not rely on its reliability in terms of weather resistance. Excluding glass due to its excessive heaviness, I found in the Laminam slabs all the stylistic and functional characteristics I was looking for, first of all their lightness and materiality. The particular texture of Oxide, then, gives life to extraordinary plays of light that end up giving further emphasis to the entire complex”.
