As the Winter Olympics return for another global showcase of cold weather sports, a little piece of Canada is coming to South Korea next month. This week, Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) revealed the design for the 2018 Canada House, which will open just ahead of the Olympic Games on February 7. Designed by Sid Lee Architecture, the house — an adaptive reuse project — will be located on the east coast of South Korea, near the Gangneung Olympic Park. The 12,000 square foot house is predicted to welcome more than 10,000 guests over the course of the Winter Games.
“Sid Lee Architecture is thrilled to be partnering with the Canadian Olympic Committee alongside our creative team at Sid Lee Toronto. This unique opportunity allowed us to collaborate on an iconic space that will be a physical representation of the Canadian Olympic spirit outside of our borders and on display for the world to see, ”said architect Martin Leblanc.
Our sister publication, Canadian Interiors, takes a closer look at the playful Sid Lee design:
In partnership with the COC, the team at Sid Lee Architecture designed the house with a true ‘Canadiana’ look and feel, creating a patriotic hub for all Canadians and Team Canada fans in South Korea to enjoy the Games together. Utilizing the strengths and characteristics of an existing facility, the house will feature uniquely Canadian elements including a bleacher in the shape of a maple leaf for fans to sit and enjoy programming, banners hanging from the rafters inspired by the ones found in hockey arenas across the country, layers of mountain ranges depicted, bringing the great Canadian landscape indoors and a patio inspired by a Canadian backyard during the winter.
You can find the rest of the story at Canadian Interiors, linked here.