Supported Olympic Events: Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming
Seating: 17,000
Paralympic Events: Swimming
Walking Distances:
Located in the southwestern part of Olympic Green's Central Zone, the National Aquatic Center can be reached from all four main entries of Olympic Green.
Distances from the main entries to the Center are as follows:
From the Southwest Entry: approximately 200 meters
From the South Entry: approximately 900 meters
From the East Entry: approximately 1,000 meters
From Subway Line 8 "Olympic Green" station: approximately 300 meters
The blue-colored National Aquatics Center (NAC), nicknamed the "Water Cube," is located near Beijing's northern section of the Fourth Ring Road and it was inaugurated and delivered for use on the morning of January 28th, 2008.
It took over four years to construct the Olympic venue, which is a new landmark in Beijing.
The project's ETFE air cushion structures are the first of their kind to be used in China and the largest and most complicated membrane system in any single project in the world.
With the efforts of various participants, many scientific and technical difficulties were overcome. Among the achievements, nine important independent innovators resolved world-class difficult topics related to the project's steel structures, membrane structures, and inner layout, formulating procedures to get it all done, and meeting technical regulations, to ostensively fill in the gap in China's field of architecture.
Also, the NAC is the only Olympic venue to be funded by donations from compatriots. It reflects the great unity of the Chinese at home and abroad to stage the Olympic Games through joint efforts.
An interior view of the Water Cube
Located on the southern part of the central area of the Olympic Green in Beijing, the NAC has a structural area of 6.95 hectares. Being adjacent to the central axis of the city, the NAC is situated on par with the National Stadium, at an equal distance relative the center.
The NAC's match structure area is close to 80 square meters, containing 17,000 standard seats, including 6,000 permanent seats and 11,000 temporary ones. During the 2008 Olympic Games, it produced 42 gold medals in swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming.
After the Olympics, it will be converted into a multi-functional facility for sports, culture, and recreation, featuring a watery environment for members of society to enjoy.
On January 31st, 2008, the NAC hosted its first Good Luck Beijing sports event -- the 2008 Swimming China Open.
Timeline of events for the National Aquatics Center (NAC):
-- In July 2003, the design project of the NAC was officially settled.
-- On December 24th, 2003, the NAC broke ground and began earthwork.
-- In May 2005, the NAC's main concrete structure was completed.
-- In June 2005, installation of the steel structure began in the NAC.
-- On April 10, 2006, the main structure of the NAC was topped off, its steel structure installed.
-- On June 16, 2006, the support structures for the NAC were removed.
-- On August 1, 2006, the first air cushion was installed into the NAC.
-- On December 26, 2006, the membrane structures were all installed on the outside of the NAC.
-- In January 2007, the decoration and fit-up process began in the NAC.
-- In March 2007, the municipal engineering works began in the NAC.
-- In September 2007, the electro-mechanical equipment was installed in the NAC.
-- On January 28, 2008, the NAC was inaugurated and delivered for use.