Over 20,000m² of Durra Panel, equivalent to approximately 9 kilometres of partitioning, was installed throughout the Media Centre and Athletes’ Village and also utilised as external highway sound barriers along key transport corridors surrounding Olympic venues. Across all applications, Durra Panel delivered outstanding acoustic performance and enabled rapid installation, meeting the demands of a high-pressure construction program without compromising on design integrity or environmental impact.
What made the use of Durra Panel particularly notable was not just its functionality during the Games, but its role in the post-event lifecycle. After the Olympics, the panels were dismantled, shredded and repurposed as compost – a rare example of full material circularity at this scale.
This initiative:
• Locked away 170 tonnes of carbon
• Offset 620 tonnes of CO₂
• The equivalent of removing 136 cars from the road for a year
As a bio-based panel made from compressed wheat straw and a recycled paper lining, Durra Panel’s performance during and after the event shows how considered material choices can support both project outcomes and broader sustainability targets.
The 2000 Olympics showcased not only athletic excellence, but also a blueprint for design-led sustainability, with Durra Panel helping to define what a low-impact, high-performance material can contribute to temporary architecture.
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to
date on the latest news and innovations.
