The Bejing National Aquatics Centre also called the Water Cube

The Beijing National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube, is an aquatics centre that is currently being built alongside Beijing National Stadium in the Olympic Green for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Ground was broken on December 24, 2003. The Beijing National Stadium will be the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics and be host to the Opening and Closing ceremonies. ... The Olympic Green is an Olympic Park in Beijing, China that is under construction for the 2008 Summer Olympics. ... The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing, China from August 8, 2008 through August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 08:08pm and 08 seconds. ...

Design

The Water Cube was initially designed by PTW Architects from Sydney, Australia and CSCEC International Design and Arup. Structural Engineers Arup conceived the structure. The project was built by CSCEC (China State Construction Enginering Corporation). It comprises a steel spaceframe which is clad with over 100,000 m² of ETFE pillows that are only eight one-thousandths of an inch in total thickness^[1] With the massive surface area covered by ETFE, it the largest ETFE clad structure in the world. The ETFE cladding the exterior of the building allows in more light and heat than traditional glass which results in a 30% decrease in energy costs^[1]. The so-called Water Cube associates water as a structural and thematical "leitmotiv" with the square, the primal shape of the house in Chinese tradition and mythology. The entire structure of the watercube is based on a unique lightweight-construction, developed by Arup and CSCEC with PTW, and derived from the the structure of water in the state of aggregation of FOAM as deduced by Weaire and Phelan of Trinity College, Dublin. Behind the apparently random appearance hides a strict geometry as can be found in natural systems like crystals, cells and molecular structures. By applying this novel material and technology the transparency and the apparent randomness is transposed into the inner and outer skins of ETFE cushions. Unlike traditional stadium structures with gigantic columns, beams, cables and backspans, to which a facade system is applied, in the watercube design the architectural space, structure and facade are one and the same element. Conceptually the square box and the interior spaces are carved out of an undefined cluster of foam bubbles, symbolizing a condition of nature that is transformed into a condition of culture. The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Arup is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. ... Arup is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. ... ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene) - a fluorocarbon-based polymer (a fluoropolymer), a kind of plastic. ... ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene) - a fluorocarbon-based polymer (a fluoropolymer), a kind of plastic. ... ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene) - a fluorocarbon-based polymer (a fluoropolymer), a kind of plastic. ... ETFE (Ethylene TetrafluoroEthylene) - a fluorocarbon-based polymer (a fluoropolymer), a kind of plastic. ...

The appearance of the aquatic centre is therefore a "cube of water molecules" - the WATERCUBE. In combination with the main stadium by Herzog de Meuron, a duality between fire and water, male and female, Yin and Yang is being created with all its associated tensions/attractions.

watercube

Specifications

It will have a capacity of 17,000^[1]during the games that will be reduced to 6,000 afterwards. It also has a total land surface of 65,000 square metres and will cover a total of 7.8 acres^[1].

Olympics

The Aquatics Centre will host the Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming, and Water Polo events during the Olympics. Swimming is a technique that humans, and other animals, use to move through water using only movements of the body, for exercise, fun and competition. ... Diving refers to the sport of acrobatically jumping or falling into water. ... A hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet, synchronized swimming involves competitors (either individuals, duets, trios or teams) combining strength, endurance, flexibility, grace and artistry with exceptional breath control while upside down underwater. ... Water polo is a team water sport, which can be best described as a combination of swimming, football (soccer), basketball, ice hockey, rugby and wrestling. ...

Awards

Quote from the Jury report of the Official Awards 9th International Architecture Exhibition - METAMORPH, Venice Biennale "The special award for the most accomplished work in the section Atmosphere is awarded to the Australian architecture firm PTW Architects , CSCEC + Design and Arup for the project 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". chris bosse

• 2004 - Venice Biennale - Award for most accomplished work Atmosphere section^[2]
• 2006 - Popular Science Best of what's new 2006 in engineering^[1]

References and External Links

• ptw architects
• cscec
• iconography
• Vector Foiltec homepage