Myrtha Pools is transforming la Défense Arena

Paris, June 12, 2024 – Less than two months before opening ceremonies for the Paris 2024 Games, Myrtha Pools, global leader in the construction of competitive swimming basins, is revealing a behind-the-scenes view of a construction site with an unprecedented epic scale: the assembly of two temporary pools measuring 50 meters by 25, all constructed on the floor of Paris La Défense Arena. These vessels will host all the swimming events and the water polo championships during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, followed by the Para swimming races during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. These two pools will then be part of the post- Games legacy as they are destined for permanent installation in nearby Seine Saint-Denis.

MYRTHA POOLS, AN ITALIAN FAMILY SUCCESS STORY

Founded in 1961, Myrtha Pools is an Italian company which has become a global leader in the construction of swimming pools. As official supplier to the most important international competitions, the company constantly seeks to innovate by designing the most efficient and durable swimming pools. Myrtha Pools is now Official Supporter for Paris 2024, a competition for which it will provide no less than 24 pools total. As part of that effort, Myrtha Pools is responsible for installing 2 temporary pools of 50 x 25 meters within Paris La Défense Arena, the largest indoor venue in Europe (94,000 m²). In order to achieve this technically challenging feat, Myrtha Pools relies on decades of the unique know-how that has made it successful. The central design attribute that makes all of this possible is a pre-engineered, modular wall system which combines high quality stainless steel and a white laminated PVC surface. These building blocks allow for a simpler, faster pool assembly. Myrtha Pools has mastered this innovative approval to pool-building, which allows for better visibility with the vessel and allows for a more efficient route to effectively lighting the pools.

36 DAYS TO TRANSFORM EUROPE’S LARGEST INDOOR STADIUM INTO AN OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL

Since May 20, Myrtha Pools has been leading a unique project in an already legendary location. Located in Nanterre, Paris La Défense Arena is the largest indoor venue in Europe. With an interior of 94,000 m², it accommodates up to 40,000 fans for musical concerts. Paris La Défense Arena also stands out for its utility and flexibility as a venue. Capable of hosting the greatest international artists as well as the most varied sporting competitions, it has exceptional characteristics: retractable stands, 44 projectors, a giant display screen of some 2,600 square meters, and 266 LED projectors. During the swimming competition, no less than 35,000 daily spectators are expected. In order to assemble the two temporary pools in record time within the Paris La Défense Arena, the pool manufacturer from Italy is installing a system using:

• 20 semi-trucks for transport of panels, materials and parts to the site
• 47 tons of Myrtha Pools’ patented stainless steel components
• Nearly 16,700 bolted connections for assembly
• 450 metres of microperforated pipes for the MyrthaBreathe system, which is the latest innovation from Myrtha Pools to improve air and water quality in the swimming pools

To stay in alignment with the larger Paris 2024 project, these Myrtha Pools have characteristics directly contributing to the Social and Environmental Responsibility policy of this edition:

• 50% savings on CO2 emissions compared to traditional concrete construction methods
• 52% of the membrane used for the pool walls comes from recycled materials
• 100% of the flooring membrane will be recycled after the competition

PARIS LA DÉFENSE ARENA PROVIDES A UNIQUE SHOWCASE FOR THE LATEST INNOVATION FROM MYRTHA POOLS: MYRTHA BREATHE

The two pools at Paris La Défense Arena will be the very first to be equipped with Myrtha Breathe, a new patented system for eliminating volatile disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as chloramines and halomethanes which frequently degrade the air quality of indoor swimming pools. Reducing these noxious fumes not only improves the overall cleanliness and long-term performance of swimming facilities, but also greatly reduces the risks of prolonged human exposure to DBPs.

The system consists of a gutter that surrounds the pool and a thin, porous pipe that sits at the base of the gutter. Air is insufflated through porous pipes that form fine bubbles, that absorb the DPSs dissolved in the pool water and releases them into the air inside the channel.

The volatile DBPs are stripped out of the water and removed from the facility by a suction pipe. The suction flow rate required for this expulsion is quite a bit lower than that required for traditional air-handling units, which makes it possible to reduce the electrical expenses required for top-notch ventilation.

AFTER PARIS, AN ENDURING AQUATIC LEGACY

Thanks to its modular technology, Myrtha Pools is able to re-use it pools material so that the host country will have permanently excellent pools, reconfigured and reinstalled on sites which will serve athletes and all manner of citizens for generations to come. As such, the two pools at Paris La Défense Arena are part of the Paris 2024 Legacy and will be permanently redeployed: Sevran will be the new site for the competition pool, and Bagnolet Est Ensemble will inherit half of the warm-up pool. Both will contribute to expanding the aquatic infrastructure of Seine Saint-Denis, an area deeply in need of pools, as nearly 6 of 10 children here have not yet learned to swim.

« As an Official Supporter of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we’re very proud to install our pools at the Paris La Défense Arena. This is a great chance to showcase our expertise to the world. Our advanced technology and materials enable us to meet the 36-day challenge, ensuring the best experience for athletes and spectators. Additionally, ensuring that our pools can sustainably benefit communities is crucial to us, since a central mission of Myrtha Pools is to provide aquatic opportunities for all, » Roberto Colletto, PDG de Myrtha Pools