Discovering Casa Italia, hospitality and elegance at the Paris 2024 Olympics

It was June 23, 1894. With a sumptuous banquet at The Catelan Préin the heart of Paris, Baron Pierre de Coubertin officially announced the birth of the Olympic Games of the modern era. Today, that same pavilion in style Napoleon III – immersed in one of the largest parks in the French capital, the Bois de Boulogne, a few kilometers from the Champs Elysees – hosts Casa Italia, the very elegant blue headquarters in Olympics 2024.

An iconic place, where the sport it intertwines with art, design and tradition, giving life to a path dedicated tofriendship and of the brotherhoodcore values ​​of the Five Circles. An itinerary that makes use of the works of 19 artists of Italian contemporary art and the creations of 32 internationally renowned designers for 11 companies symbol of excellence Made in Italy. A real one Ensembleto use the project name.

Which is the declination on various levels of the concept of Together as a necessary condition for generating community and thought. We immersed ourselves in this journey alongside On Locationleader in the premium hospitality experience offering, which on this occasion announced the sale of packages starting next November ticket-inclusive hospitality & overnight for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games. After all, at Casa Italia, hospitality is the key word.

The welcome is entrusted to Sacrala baptistery Renaissance reconstructed through metal meshes from Edward Tresoldithe artist of solid invisibility. Once past the accreditation pavilion, a mirrored volume that reflects and amplifies the surrounding greenery, you take a path surrounded by plants and shrubs arrived directly from Apulia: the olive tree is the main protagonist, but cypresses, oleanders, pomegranates and prickly pears also stand out.

Having reached the space in front of the Father Catelan, symbolically reconfigured as an Italian square, attention is captured by the facade of the main building which houses the work of Augustine Iacurci – Ensembleprecisely – a reinterpretation of the Tricolour in floral style. Once you cross the entrance, a big tapestry of 30 square meters signed by John Bonotto, Panorama Italy, contrasted with the constantly updated Italian medal table.

Inside, among the many wonders, the most notable ones are: We Rise by Lifting Othersthe luminous work of Marinella Senator which takes up a quote from Robert Ingersoll, All Countries Big Equal, the revolutionary planisphere of Julie Polidoro which eliminates the hierarchies between the states of the world due to territorial dimensions, Love and Psychea sculpture of Fabio Viale which reinterprets Canova’s masterpiece by making Venus black with a full-body tattoo.

«Fraternité, Fraternité, Fraternité»as can be read on the sculptural work of Margherita Moscardini, Where the dead. A word closely linked to the concepts of collaborationas the painting highlights We Are All Collaborating of the collective Clairefontaineand hospitality, represented by the Flying Carpet made by the guys from the collective Stalker with hemp and copper ropes that reproduce the muqarnas of the ceiling of the Palatine Chapel of Palermo.

Key values ​​of the Olympic spiritsymbolically defended by two cuirassiers with their unmistakable uniform, completed by helmet and sabre. There, among comfortable sofas and gigantic windows, the athletes are walking who have triumphed in their discipline: a celebration that begins with the video clipcontinues with interviews and selfies, it ends with the usual medal hunt. Many people come closer to touch it, caress her and test its weight.

Finally, it could not be missed special attention to food: the starred one Davide Oldanichosen as chef of Casa Italia, collaborates with his French colleague Frederic Antoncreating high quality dishes. Unique experiences, such as those offered by On Locationwhere sport intersects culture, art and gastronomy: adventures that, in harmony with the soul of the Games, network and create connections, crossing any barrier.

«Sport can help men to overcome their limits“i”, said De Coubertin in that famous dinner130 years ago. «But also to get closer and understand each other better, regardless of the differences».