After the Olympics, it will be converted into a multi-functional facility for sports, culture and recreation, featuring a "water setting" for members of society. Located in the Beijing Olympic Green, it stands alongside the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, the two iconic structures for the Beijing Olympics. Ground was broken on December 24, 2003 and it took over four years to construct the Olympic venue.
National Aquatics Center
Venue National Aquatics Center
Location Olympic Green
Type New
Total land surface 79,532 sq m
Permanent seats 6,000
Temporary seats 11,000
Competitions Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming
Groundbreaking date Dec.24, 2003
Completion date Jan. 28, 2008
Capacity
Located on the southern part of the central area of the Olympic Green in Beijing, the National Aquatic Center was built alongside China's National Stadium in the Olympic Green, adjacent to the central axis of Beijing. The National Aquatic Center's Games-time construction area is close to 80,000 square meters, containing 17,000 standard seats, including 6,000 permanent seats and 11,000 temporary ones. It also has a total land surface of 65,000 square meters and will cover a total of 79,532 square meters.
Design
Designed by a joint Chinese-Australian consortium, it is inspired by the natural formation of soap bubbles to give a random, organic appearance. In July 2003, the consortium of Arup, architecture firm PTW, the CSCEC (China State Construction and Engineering Corporation) and the CSCEC Shenzhen Design Institute won the international design competition for the National Aquatics Center for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Work on the Water Cube began at the end of 2003 and four years later, a wonder was finally created and made its debut in January 2008 in the spotlight of the whole world.
The design of the "Water Cube" features the "bubbles" membrane structure, which is composed of more than 3,000 pneumatic die cushions with a coverage area of 110, 000 square meters. The design literally embodies the water theme and fully showcases the grace and sensitivity of water in accordance with the bubbles-like design of its supporting structure. The National Aquatic Center embodies the concept of a Green Olympics, a High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics.
Green Olympics
The venue's membrane structure, covered by ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) air cushions, is not only the first of its kind in China and the world's largest and most complex ETFE project, but it is also an economical and water-saving creation. The blue-colored "hubble-bubble" material is much lighter than conventional glazing structures with the same lighting effect.
So the cost of its supporting steel structure was reduced considerably. In addition, the "Water Cube" was designed with water-saving and environmental protection efforts. According to statistics, the outer surface and roof facade can "collect" 10,000 tons of rain water, 70,000 tons of clean water and 60,000 tons of swimming pool water annually.
And the venue can also save 140,000 tons of recycled water a year.
The Water Cube is considered as the green architecture with self-cleaning function. The cleaning of the blue 'bubbles' made of ETFE membrane is very simple. The The venue's membrane structure can be cleaned even in light rain. And seepers and dust can be easily removed from the sunken areas between the bubbles.
With sustainable development as its design principle, a strict temperature and humidity control system was built with recycled hot water to supply an air-conditioning system in the living area and the swimming pool. In addition, other cooling methods, such as outdoor and indoor air recycling systems, solar energy and double-deck ventilation devices, successfully maintain comfortable temperatures and stable humidity of between 50 and 60 percent in the venue.
To solve this problem of dew dropping from the rooftop, the designers started with the thermal requirement of the building shell, retaining a far smaller heat transfer coefficient for the building shell than for the quality glass walls. Meanwhile, they engineered the airflow in this spacious building with air-conditioning systems and swimming and leisure pools, and they devised a way to optimize the ventilation frequency at the upper spaces of the building using the building's air supply, return inlets, and exhaust outlets.
In addition, a heating air supply system was installed at the ramp that clings to the lower end of the roof, while an air ventilation system was installed at the facade of the building shell.
High-tech Olympics
The Water Cube is believed to survive one hundred years, subject to bad weather and other outside forces. Tests have proven that the strength of the membrane structure of the National Aquatic Center can meet these stability requirements, even in bad weather conditions. such as hailstones. The membrane structure of the Water Cube uses a special material called ETFE. This material was firstly used in the aviation industry and honored as the "king of plastics." With the construction of the National Aquatics Center, ETFE membrane has been used for the first time in China.
The advantages of the ETFE membrane are numerous
Each of the 3000 bubbles can resist the weight of a car.
The outer wall of the Water Cube is composed of 3000 irregular "bubbles," which make up the ETFE membrane structure. The ETFE membrane has good ductility and crushing resistance. After aeration, every piece of membrane can resist the weight of a car. It also has good resistance against fire and intense heat.
The "Water Cube" can breathe
Eight fans which discharge the air naturally are set on the roof and the body of the Water Cube. After fresh air enters the building, it can be discharged through the cavum in the roof. This is how the heating within the building is released.
The "Water Cube" can "wash its face" by itself
The ETFE membrane is self-cleaning in nature. Since the friction coefficient of the material is small, dust does not easily attach onto the structure. Even if dust does collect on it, as long as it rains, the surface is washed by rain water.
In addition, a moat was constructed around the Water Cube and the interior membrane structure also maintains a certain distance from the public area. Such a design makes sure that the spectators cannot touch the "bubbles," which greatly reduces the possibility to harming the structure.
According to the law of biology, birds do not like to stray upon semitransparent things. The only place atop the Water Cube that birds might land on is the rain water collection system. The designers set up metal wires on the collection system particularly to let the birds rest and make sure they do not step on the "bubbles."
People's Olympics
Convenient transportation
The National Aquatic Center is easy to reach via roads and public transport. The venue is situated to the east of Beichen West Bridge on the North Fourth Ring Road and to the west of National Stadium, within the perimeters of the Olympic Green Central Zone. It is easily reachable, as the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads are just south of it, and the Badaling Expressway is west. In addition, it is located on the Beijing Subway Olympic branch line that is currently under construction.
Travel to and from the Olympic Green and other parts of the city will be extremely convenient via the various highways, expressways, and main and secondary roads that will connect the Olympic Green to the rest of the city. And fans will likewise have their choice of a quick way of getting to the Water Cube to watch competitions. Drivers will be able to park in an underground lot beneath the venue or in a parking lot north of the venue. Public transport offers the most effective modes of transportation.
Comfortable Temperature
Furthermore, the Water Cube succeeds in providing a comfortable environment for both athletes and spectators. In the Water Cube, the temperature of the water is kept at 27 degrees Celsius, which is comfortable for athletes. The temperature in the spectator stands is around 18 to 20 degree, and the humidity is at 50 percent to 60 percent. The environment is ideal for fans to enjoy the games.
Moreover, the space between the air-pillow walls of the Water Cube is completely sealed off, creating a layer of insulation. In the summer, a meter-high vent works to regulate the National Aquatic Center's temperature indoors through heat exchange, by drawing indoor heat out of and cooler outdoor air into the venue. In the winter the vent is sealed off, and the warm indoor temperatures remain constant.
The design of floor
Aside from comfortable temperatures, the design of the floor is also people-friendly. Since there is a distance from the competition pool to the warm-up pool, the athletes have to go back and forth between them barefoot. Therefore, special floor tiles were used. Walking on this kind of floor, the athletes will not feel cold, just comfortable.