Beijing National Stadium
Bird's Nest | |
 | |
 | |
| Location | Beijing, China |
|---|---|
| Owner | Government of the People's Republic of China |
| Operator | PRC |
| Capacity | Olympic Capacity: 91,000 Post Olympic Capacity: 80,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | December 2003 |
| Construction cost | 4 billion yuan (~USD $500 million) |
| Architect | Herzog & de Meuron ArupSport Ai Weiwei CAG |
| Tenants | |
| Chinese Olympic Committee 2008 Summer Olympics | |
The Beijing National Stadium (simplified Chinese: 北京国家体育场; traditional Chinese: 北京國家體育場; Hanyu Pinyin: Běijīng Guójiā Tǐyùchǎng; Tongyong Pinyin: Běijīng Guójiā Tǐyùchǎng), also known as the National Stadium,[1] or affectionately as the "Bird's Nest" (鸟巢) for its architecture, is a stadium in the Olympic Green in Beijing, China that was completed in March 2008.[2] The stadium is hosting the main track and field competitions for the 2008 Summer Olympics, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. It is located east of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre. The Stadium now holds the Olympic Flame cauldron, which is shaped as a conical scroll. The cauldron was emplaced on the top during the opening ceremony, so that it could then be lit at the end of the ceremony. The olympic flame will now burn there until the end of the 2008 games.
Design
In 2002, Government officials engaged architects worldwide in a design competition. Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron collaborated with ArupSport and China Architecture Design & Research Group to win the competition. Contemporary Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei, is the Artistic Consultant for design.[3] The ground was broken on Christmas Eve, 2003, and construction started in March 2004. Construction was halted following the collapse of Terminal 2E at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport, which had a similar design to the National Stadium. After modifications to the design, construction recommenced.[4] In January 2008, concerns about construction working conditions arose when it was claimed there were at least 10 deaths during construction.[5] Beijing officials have stated there were 2 deaths in the construction of the stadium, with 1 serious injury and 3 light injuries.[6]
Specifications
The stadium currently has a seating capacity of 91,000. The capacity will be reduced to 80,000 after the Olympic Games. It has replaced the original intended venue of the Guangdong Olympic Stadium.[7] The stadium is 330 metres (1,082 ft) long by 220 metres (721 ft) wide, and is 69.2 metres (227 ft) tall. The stadium uses 258,000 square metres (2,777,112 square feet) of space and has a usable area of 204,000 square metres (2,195,856 square feet). It was built with 36 km (22.4 miles) of unwrapped steel, with a combined weight of 45,000 tonnes (49,600 tons).[7] The stadium will cost up to 3.5 billion yuan ($423 million or £266 million or €340 million).[7]
See also
References
- ^ The National Stadium - The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
- ^ Photo:The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
- ^ Merewether, Charles, Editor.~Essays by Jonathan Napack and Chin-Chin Yap. Ai Weiwei, Works: Beijing 1993-2003. Beijing: Timezone 8 Ltd., 2003.
- ^ National Geographic Channel, Manmade: Beijing Olympic Stadium
- ^ China hushes up Olympic deaths - Times Online
- ^ - Beijing says 2 died in Bird's Nest construction - Reuters
- ^ a b c Chinatourtravel.org. "Chinatourtravel.org." Description of Beijing National Stadium. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
External links
- Design competition finalists
- National Geographic Channel
- Design partner project site
- Beijing National Stadium Info & Gallery
- Arthur Lubow (2006-05-21). "The China Syndrome". The New York Times Magazine. Details the architect's experience working on the stadium.
- Details of current construction
- Construction update by BCI Asia
- Stadium in Construction on Google Maps
- Hydraulics helps the Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” to stand on its own feet
- Bird’s Nest; Herzog & de Meuron in China Documentary DVD
- Gallery
- Gallery, building, fire works, daytime
- Goldberger, Paul (June 2, 2008), "Out of the Blocks", The New Yorker
