#81 Teaching at Taizhou Teachers College, China (Olympic Stadiums of Beijing: "Bird's Nest" & "Water Cube")

The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are less than one year away. Whenever I speak to a Chinese person about it, they smile proudly. Touching their belly they tell me, the anticipation gives them "stomach-butterflies".

The Summer Olympic Games are more a topic and of greater consequence in the Capitol of China itself, which will host most venues. In other cities "the Games" are perceived more abstractly, where the average Chinese are pre-occupied with improving their living standards.

In Shanghai, the games are almost scoffed at, as they prepare for "their" more important World Expo 2010.

But it does fall to Beijing to showcase the changing China first. China has entered the World-Family of Nations, and to turn back the clock is unthinkable for the Chinese. National Pride, in being recognized by the world, is bountiful in every corner of Beijing.

Few events in China's recent history will have greater significance, than the up-coming Olympic competitions. By accepting the responsibility of hosting the world's premier sporting event, China has accepted its "baptism", to sit proudly among the leading nations of the world.

It will be Beijing's honor, and the first great opportunity to show the world, that a "New" China has found its stride, that a culture of 5,000 years should be recognized and respected, and that improving the lifes of one fifth of the world's population has only just begun. There is no looking back.

Public buildings in China are created with great symbolism, and the new Olympic Stadium, aptly named the "Bird's Nest" stands as a monument for the ages, reminding future generations of the time, when China opened itself to the world.

I have heard much about the design of Beijing's new National Stadium, and on a visit to China's Capitol, it was not something I was going to miss. My driver understood, that it was important to come as close as possible to the constructions-site for the Olympic Stadiums, and that I was most interested in the "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube"

Let me first introduce the "Bird's Nest", the Beijing National Stadium, the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It will also host the opening and closing ceremonies:

It is a stunning and memorable structure built with 36 km of unwrapped steel, wheighing over 45,000 tonnes and at a cost of some $US 425 million. The roof has been omitted to make the stadium safer and to reduce construction costs.
It will seat 100,000 spectators during the games, and this will be reduced to 80,000 after the Olympics.

Facade and super-structure mutually support each other and there is no distinction between the two. The monster-steel strands converge into a grid-like formation, giving it the appearance of a bird's nest with its interwoven twigs.

There is no sight like it in the world. Its distinctiveness will remind the world forever of the 2008 Olympics, and become its Icon. It makes an impression from the distance and even more from up close, and will be the cause of many debates and conversations. I found it breath-taking and inspired.

The Olympic Stadium permits natural ventilation. Winds will be controlled by inflatable cushions, mounted on the inside of the structure, used when and where needed, as when birds stuff the spaces between the woven twigs of their nests with down and soft fillers to protect from the elements.

Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron, from Switzerland collaborated with ArupSport and China Architecture Design and Research Group to win the competition for its construction in 2002. The well-known Contemporary Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei became the Artistic Consultant for design.

Though construction was halted at one point to plan the stadium without a roof, it is now ahead of schedule for completion. Much of the Olympic-construction is ahead of schedule. The IOC has actually requested, they slow down the construction for fear of completing the buildings early. They fear lost revenues as the buildings will stay empty.

Each Olympic structure is being completed by its own army of migrant workers, who are housed comfortably on site.
These are migrant workers from other provinces of China, who can make more than 1,500 Yuan per month. Experienced teachers in China take home similar salaries. We are talking of about $200 per month, or some $2,400 per annum.

The workers I had contact with, often former farmers, seemed quite satisfied with conditions and pay, being able to send much of their income home to their families. When we spoke, all were laughing and were proud of being part of an event, most will be unable to attend.

Another architectual marvel, the new Beijing National Aquatics Centre, will also enjoy great public interest, once the visitors of the world are confronted with this "Cube of Water Bubbles". The exterior of this square box has been completed and is comprised of a steel-space-frame.

The entire structure is clad with an energy-efficient plastic known as ETFE, that changes hue with the light, and appears as 3,000 micro-thin cushen-pillows, shaped as foam bubbles. The skin-like pattern seems to be alive, and the random appearance is based on geometry found in natural crystals, cells, soap bubbles, and molecular structures.

Named the "Water Cube", it will house the aquatic venues of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The square design of the "Water Cube" is the shape of a house in Chinese tradition and mythology.

Designed in Australia, here again, structure and facade are one and the same. The "Water Cube" has been located next to the "Bird's Nest" in dramatic fashion, and will astonish generations of visitors.

During the Olymic Games, the Water Cube will seat up to 17,000 visitors, but that will be reduced to 6,000 afterwards. The area covers almost 8 acres. The swimming pool is 40 feet deep, with little temperature variation, best suitable for the swimmers.

Water is recycled for efficient utilization and protected by an advanced water treatment system to meet the strict and rigid standards of the International Amateur Swimming Federation and the World Health Organization.

Let me give you a quote from the Jury of the Official Awards 9th International Architecture Exhibition:

"The special award for the most accomplished work in the section Atmosphere is awared to the Australian architecture firm PTW Architects, CSCEC & Design for the project, the National Swimming Centre, Beijing Olympic Green, China. The project demonstrates in a stunning way, how the deliberate morphing of molecular science, architecture, and phenomenology can create an airy and misty atmosphere for a personal experience of water leisure."

It will be interesting to hear your comments and impressions and please note the blue skies in Beijing during my recent visit.

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