Vortex

The Vortex stands as a striking new landmark in the Lausanne region, designed to meet the growing demand for student accommodation and serve as the Olympic Village for the 2020 Youth Olympics. Delivered in record time by Losinger Marazzi, the Swiss subsidiary of Bouygues Bâtiment International, this innovative circular building forms a unique bridge between the city and the university campuses. Its spiral architecture hosts 712 student units across nine levels, arranged along a continuous ramp that creates a dynamic, connected living space. The central open courtyard functions as a village square, fostering community, encounter, and exchange.

Originally built to house 1,800 athletes and guests for the Youth Olympic Games, the Vortex was swiftly adapted to become a vibrant student residence for more than 1,000 students and academic visitors. The spiral ramp—2.8 kilometers long—organizes varied housing options including independent rooms, studios, and shared apartments (2 to 4 bedrooms, each with a private bathroom and shared common space). Public spaces, kitchens, laundry rooms, terraces, and meeting areas are distributed along the ramp and the ground floor, ensuring social interaction and convenience. Facilities include a nursery, restaurant, multipurpose hall, communal lounges, shops, and a rooftop bar-café with panoramic views of the Alps and Jura.exceptional skill in complex renovation and extension works. The original 1971 building underwent seismic upgrades, full environmental remediation, and a vertical extension with two new floors. Innovative construction methods—including prefabricated metal cassette façade modules with triple-glazed windows, and the use of lightweight walls—minimized gray energy and disruption.