Beijing national stadium

This bird-nest like structure is most recognizable for it's hosting of the prestigious Olympic event in 2008, the hosting country being China. Besides that, the Beijing national stadium has also made a significant impact on world architectural history due to it's unique and innovative structure.The Beijing national stadium is also known as 'The bird nest' for its uncanny resemblance to one.

See the resemblance?

INTERIOR

A paranorma of the interior of The bird nest

The stadium covers an area of about 258 thousand square meters (99.614 square miles), which can accommodate 80,000 fixed seats and 11,000 temporary seats. The stands can be changed in many ways, which can satisfy the needs of different numbers of spectators in different periods. The seats are placed so that the spectator's view is not obstructed at all times.The spectator stands surround the central of the stadium and is shielded by a thin bubble film , strategically placed on the top of the structure. The bubble film is waterproof, but is thin enough to allow light to penetrate, which explains the luscious green lawns in Beijing national stadium.

STRUCTURE

The design of this large stadium was accomplished together by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and Chinese architect Li Xinggang and the others. The structure of the building was inspired by Chinese ceramics. With the aim of a 'porous' yet 'collaborative and whole' structure, they exposed the steel supports and let them become it's most natural feature, with an exposed area in the center, which is directly above the players. The stadium is made of two completely different components - a red bowl that holds all the spectators and the outer steel structure. Originally intended to hide a retractable roof for the exposed center, it soon became acknowledged as the bird nest's most distinguished feature and hence, the retractable roof idea was dropped. Although the placing of the steel frames appear random ,the positions are nearly identical and symmetrical to each side.The highest point of the stadium is at 68.5 m from the ground and the lowest being 48 m.

Just my two-cents worth; I think the Chinese architects have outdone themselves with the Beijing national stadium. It is aesthetically pleasing even though the steel bars look at random, and serves its purpose well. It is a symbol of China's national pride and the effort they put in to be up to par as a country hosting the Olympics, so as to leave an impression on foreign countries and foreign players. It is most definitely an innovative idea and the likening of it to a bird's nest gives a very homely feel, for nests are where the bird families reside. That is one large steel nest that the world had its eye on during the 2008 Olympics and it was impressive.

-sinyee