BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China's National
Stadium, known as the "Bird's Nest," was pronounced fully operational on
Saturday, signaling the readiness of all 37 venues for August's Beijing Olympic
Games.
"The Bird's Nest is the last completed Olympic venue
but the best," said Tan Xiaochun, chief commander of the project.
Covering 20.4 hectares in the Beijing Olympic Green,
the bowl-shaped structure with its prominent girders can seat 91,000 spectators
for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, track and field events, men's
soccer, and some events for the Paralympics to be held in September.
The eye-catching stadium has been a news maker ever
since the unveiling of its blueprint. Designed by Swiss firm Jacques Herzog and
Pierre de Meuron and China Architecture Design & Research Institute, among
other collaborators, the design beat dozens of other entries in a worldwide
competition held in 2003.
Working staff and guests pose for photos in front of China's National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2008. It was announced early Saturday that China's National Stadium is fully operational, singaling the readiness of all 37 venues for the upcoming Beijing Olympics in August. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang) Photo Gallery>>>
It also topped the architecture category for the 100
most influential designs in Time magazine earlier this year.
The seating is on an interlocking network of steel
bars, which makes every single one equal to each other and brings the audience
back to nature, said Li Aiqing, the National Stadium Co., Ltd. board chairman.
The hollowed complex allows in maximum sunshine,
making spectators feel as if they are in a forest, he added.
Designer Li Xinggang once said the bowl shape would
help spectators focus on the bottom center of the container, and integrate
people and the structure as a whole.
"You can imagine yourself to be an athlete, standing
at the center of the venue attracting thousands of eyes. You will be turned on
by the audience's cheers, feeling at the center of a stage. It will lead you to
final success. That's exactly the spirit of sports since ancient Greece," he
said.
The first gold medal in the stadium was taken by
18-year-old Australian Jared Tallent on April 18 when a test event was held. He
said the stadium had always been his dream place.
"I had been training hard to gain the chance to compete in the Bird's Nest. It is perfect and gives me a huge shock," he said.
Photo taken on June 28, 2008 shows China's National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang) Photo Gallery>>>
The 500 million U.S. dollar stadium, however, posed
great challenges to its builders.
Chief engineer Li Jiulin told Xinhua he was worried
when given the blueprint because it was the most difficult project he had
experienced.
"The biggest feature of the stadium lies in its beam
structure. The architects came up with several lines in their mind and we had to
translate the lines into reality with steel and concrete," he said.
The venue is equipped with a solar power system on
top of its ticket office and a collection system that processes 58,000 tonnes of
rainfall annually for its irrigation and cleansing.
The Bird's Nest, which implies the meaning of "hope,"
was designed with a long lifespan. It will become a scenic spot after the Games.
Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee
president, said the stadium would become a landmark of the country, much like
the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
As the pre-Olympic city is upgrading infrastructure,
it is also upgrading etiquette among local residents. The latest campaign
included a roadside BBQ crackdown and the introduction of a No Spitting Day and
Queuing Day.
