Thessaloniki gets ready for its metro launch in November
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
The renovated roof of the Georges-Vallerey swimming pool in Paris, Source: Ville de Paris / Clement Dorval
It was where legendary swimmer Johnny Weismuller showed off his style 99 years ago
Paris is frantically preparing for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games, which will also be a centennial celebration of the 1924 Olympiad, likewise hosted by the French capital back in the day. This time around modern sustainability standards are applied in the process of preparation.
The local Georges-Vallerey swimming pool is quite a distinguished piece of sports heritage (having been also used as a venue in the 1924 event). Still, as with most things, it is prone to the impact of time and needs to be renovated. Key in that renovation is the installation of a new wooden frame and a new opening roof for the 50-m Olympic pool.
However, the old wooden frame won’t just go to waste. Instead, the planners aim to reuse it and upcycle it by fashioning out new furniture and signs from it. The furniture will be placed at the swimming complex itself.
The Georges-Vallerey swimming pool, located in the 20th arrondissement, welcomed the swimming competitions in that previous Olympiad. In fact, it was where the legendary swimmer and Hollywood actor Johnny Weismuller (of Tarzan fame) won two gold medals.
The organizer promised that 90% of the construction waste generated from the renovation will be reused or recycled in some way or another. There is a special clause with the renovation company obliging it to carefully dismantle the roof beams and remove the metal parts from them.
Another company, Bonnardel, located in Seine-et-Marne, will manufacture the new furniture: the reception counter for the swimming pool, but also the benches, not to mention furniture for the swimmers' shoe removal area and nearly 1,400 small pieces of signage for the renovated venue.
Part of the frame (6 cubic meters of wood) was donated by the City to a “solidarity carpentry” association, located in the 20th arrondissement, which specializes in the reuse of materials, including wood. The City Council will also recover some of the wood for the workshops of the Department of Youth and Sports.
And the new frame? It will come from eco-certified French forests, of course. That way, every aspect of the chain can be imbued with a sustainable provenance.
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass
Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape
The examples, compiled by Beyond Fossil Fuels, can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU, national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality.
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region
Despite its church-y name, the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital