Construction work has begun on the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Village in South Korea.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the occasion at the site of the 42,000sq m Yongpyong Dome, located in what will become the mountain cluster for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Designed as multi-functional resort to provide an athlete-oriented environment, the village will include a number of environmentally-friendly innovations and will be fully accessible – as it will also serve as the athlete’s village for the Paralympics.

The masterplan for the village – designed by US-based BrentThompson Architects – is based on an “energetic combination of hotels, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and condominiums”.

With a completion date set for September 2017, the W180bn (US$151m, €137m, £98m) village is expected to accommodate more than 3,500 athletes during the Games.

The project has been part-funded by private investor Yongpyong Resort, which will oversee the complex in post-Games mode.

After the Games, the apartments and accommodation at the Village will be sold in individual blocks to the public – creating a legacy for the local community and creating more than US$$8.5m in revenues.

Yang-ho Cho, president of the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee (POCOG), said: “POCOG is committed to building a village that will provide the best environment for athletes so they can be in optimal condition for their competition.

“We also want it to be as comfortable as they are at home where they can relax and enjoy meeting fellow athletes from around the world.”