olympic 1Photos: Olympic Museum, Switzerland.

If it’s possible for a building to house the Olympic spirit, that building can be found in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Olympic Museum recently reopened following an extensive two-year renovation – just in time to mark the start of the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Overlooking Lake Geneva in the waterfront Ouchy district, the museum underwent an impressive revamp by Lausanne architects Brauen Wälchli. The renovation nearly doubled the existing exhibition space to some 3,000-square-metres.

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The emphasis is on interactive presentations that engage sports fans. More than 300 screens and 1,000 objects tell the stories of Olympic champions from across the globe. It is also where the legendary Olympic flame resides between games – a permanent tribute to those who live the Olympic ideal.

Two halls are dedicated to temporary exhibitions and the surrounding Olympic Park has become an integral part of the museum, showcasing Olympic-themed artworks by Chillida, Folon, Niki de Saint-Phalle and Tàpies.

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To celebrate the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, the museum has unveiled a major exhibition entitled ‘The Russian Avant-Garde and Sport’, which runs until May 11.

The exhibition explores sport in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s through the works of the artistic avant-garde, especially in the fields of photography, cinema and graphic design.