Friday, December 7, 2007

Beijing National Olympic Stadium



The stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 29th Olympiad, as well as track and field, and soccer events. On completion it will have a total capacity of 91 000. 11 000 temporary seating will be removed after the Game, leaving a permanent capacity of 80 000.

We are providing a full multidisciplinary service on the project. Our scope includes: sports architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, and public health engineering; acoustics and fire strategy and sports lighting.

The architecture of structure informs the stadium's design, and on completion it will be an icon for Beijing.

About the stadium

  • Seating capacity - 80 000 (11 000 temporary seats will be added after the 2008 Olympics)
  • Total site area - 204 278m²
  • Gross floor area - 258 000m²
  • Structure - 36km of unwrapped steel length
  • Height - 69.2m above pitch level

The structural form of the roof is described as a ''nest''. The interwoven structural elements of the facade produce a single surface, upon which further elements are arranged in a chaotic manner to blur the distinction between the primary structure and the secondary structure.

The roof is saddle-shaped, and the geometry is developed from a base ellipse of which the major and minor axes are 313 metres and 266 metres respectively. The outer surface of the facade is inclined at approximately 13° to the vertical.

Bowl construction

The bowl, whose geometry was defined using Arup developed computer software, has been completed. The stadium has seven levels and these tiers have now been put in place.

The steel roof, a single 330m long by 220m wide structure, weighing 45 000 tonnes is due to be completed by October 2006. It will first be clad with a series of ETFE panels on the upper surface, and once this stage is complete, with an acoustic membrane on the lower surface. This layer reflects and absorbs sound to maintain the atmosphere in the stadium.

The architectural work of the inside of the stadium, such as the stairs, will be carried out at the same time as the cladding.

The stadium is due to be completed at the end of 2007.

Design consortium

Herzog & de Meuron Architekten AG

Arup

China Architectural Design and Research Group

Client

National Stadium Co, Ltd



Source: Arup

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