Building the venue for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference

27 May 2025

Our Urban teams from France and Monaco are leading the design and construction supervision of the Mediterranean Pavilion, ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference, June 9 – 13, 2025 in Nice, France.

Co-organized by the governments of France and Costa Rica, the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) aims to build the partnerships required to spur urgent action to protect and sustainably use our ocean resources. All relevant stakeholders will participate, including the 193 UN Member States, governments, NGOs, financial institutions, the private sector, and the academic and scientific communities.

Tractebel is Constructor’s Engineer

The design-build mandate encompasses the pre-feasibility designs of the event structures, collectively known as the Mediterranean Pavilion, through the final design phase and operational support. Design and execution studies were carried out in 2D and 3D. The project, in a very tight turnaround time, began in December 2024 and will run through the end of May 2025.

Construction of the main building of the Mediterranean Pavilion ahead of the UN Ocean Conference

Structures to be sustainably repurposed for Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

As part of the organization of the UNOC, the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis has taken on the project management for the provision of the semi-permanent structures on Infernet Quay, at Port Lympia in Nice. This initiative aims to meet the needs of hosting several major events organized in parallel with the UNOC, as well as the future installation of a port terminal and event and cultural spaces, in anticipation of their use for the press centre of the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The entire site will be accessible to people with reduced mobility.

The Mediterranean Pavilion will be repurposed as the press centre of the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

The structures installed on the quay include two sections: one building 45 x 85 m with a capacity of 1,500 people; and two adjoining and interconnected structures of 30 x 30 m and 20 x 40 m, respectively. As the buildings were constructed using removable metal structures, they can be reused, greatly reducing the project's carbon footprint.

The buildings were constructed using removable, reusable metal structures

Overview of the semi-permanent Mediterranean Pavilion buildings

"The project was completed in a very short timeframe of five months, including both design and construction, for a building area of 7,200 m²,” says Tractebel Project Manager Marc Rufin. “This achievement stands as an example of combined expertise. Our Tractebel engineers, together with the experience of client GL events (of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, COP, Rugby World Cup, etc.) in metal structures, made it possible to deliver a project in five months instead of the usual 12 for a conventional construction project."

Marc RUFIN, Tractebel Project Manager

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