Beijing National Stadium, officially the National Stadium[4] (pinyin: guji tychng), also known

as the Bird's Nest (Niocho), is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for
use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics andParalympics.
Contents
[hide]

1 History
o 1.1 Bidding
o 1.2 Design and construction
2 Features and events
o 2.1 Post-Olympics
3 References
4 External links

History[edit]

Located at the Olympic Green, the stadium cost US428 million. The design was awarded to a
submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in April 2003 after a bidding
process that included 13 final submissions. The design, which originated from the study of Chinese
ceramics, implemented steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof; giving the
stadium the appearance of a bird's nest. Leading Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was the artistic consultant
on the project.[5] The retractable roof was later removed from the design after inspiring the stadium's
most recognizable aspect. Ground was broken on 24 December 2003 and the stadium officially
opened on 28 June 2008. A shopping mall and a hotel are planned to be constructed to increase use
of the stadium, which has had trouble attracting events,football and otherwise, after the Olympics.[6]

Bidding[edit]
In 2001, before Beijing had been awarded the right to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, the city held
a bidding process to select the best arena design. Multiple requirements including the ability for postOlympics use, a retractable roof, and low maintenance costs, were required of each design.[7] The
entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs.[8] Of the final thirteen, Li Xinggang of China
Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG), said after he placed the model of the "nest"
proposal at the exhibition hall and saw the rival entries he thought to himself, "We will win this."[7] The

model was approved as the top design by a professional panel; however, it was later exhibited for
the public. Once again, it was selected as the top design.[7] The "nest scheme" design became
official in April 2003.[7]

Design and construction[edit]

Under construction in September 2007

Why does a Chinese bowl or a Chinese window have this kind of pattern? Maybe the Chinese people like things to
appear in this irregular way, but underneath there are very clear rules. The Bird's Nest developed in this way.
Li Xinggang, head architect of CADG[9]

Beijing National Stadium (BNS) was a joint venture among architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de
Meuron of Herzog & de Meuron, project architect Stefan Marbach, artistAi Weiwei, and CADG which
was led by chief architect Li Xinggang.[10] During their first meeting in 2003, at Basel, the group
decided to do something unlike Herzog and de Meuron had traditionally designed. "China wanted to
have something new for this very important stadium," Li stated.[10] In an effort to design a stadium
that was "porous" while also being "a collective building, a public vessel",[9] the team studied Chinese
ceramics.[11] This line of thought brought the team to the "nest scheme".[9] The stadium consists of
two independent structures, standing 50 feet apart:[3] a red concrete seating bowl and the outer steel
frame around it.[9]
In an attempt to hide steel supports for the retractable roof, required in the bidding process, the team
developed the "random-looking additional steel" to blend the supports into the rest of the
stadium.[9] Twenty-four trussed columns encase the inner bowl,[12] each one weighing
1,000 tons.[7] Despite random appearance, each half of the stadium is nearly identical.[13] After a
collapse of a roof at the Charles de Gaulle Airport,[7] Beijing reviewed all major projects. It was
decided to eliminate the retractable roof, the original inspiration for the "nest" design,[7] as well as
9,000 seats from the design.[13] The removal of the elements helped to bring the project under the
reduced construction budget of $290 million, from an original $500 million.[7]With the removal of the
retractable roof, the building was lightened, which helped it stand up to seismic activity; however, the
upper section of the roof was altered to protect fans from weather.[13] Enerpac was granted the
contract to perform the stage lifting and lowering of the stadium roof as part of the construction
process.[14] Due to the stadium's outward appearance, it was nicknamed "The Bird's Nest". The

phrase was first used by Herzog & de Meuron, though the pair still believes "there should be many
ways of perceiving a building."[9] The use is a compliment Li explained, "In China, a bird's nest is very
expensive, something you eat on special occasions."[7]
Ground was broken, at the Olympic Green,[15] for Beijing National Stadium on 24 December
2003.[16] At its height, 17,000 construction workers worked on the stadium.[17] Portraits of 143 migrant
workers at the construction site were featured in the bookWorkers (Gong Ren) by artist Helen
Couchman. On 1 January 2008, The Times reported that 10 workers had died throughout
construction; despite denial from the Chinese government.[18] However, in a story the following
week, Reuters, with the support of the Chinese government, reported that only two workers had
died.[17] All 110,000 tons of steel were made in China. On 14 May 2008 the grass field of 7,811
square meters was laid in 24 hours.[19] The field is a modular turf system by GreenTech ITM. Beijing
National Stadium officially opened at a ceremony on 28 June 2008.[20]

Features and events[edit]

Satellite image of the stadium

The eastern and western stands of Beijing National Stadium are higher than northern and southern
stands, in order to improve sightlines.[21] A 24-hour-per-day rainwater collector is located near the
stadium; after water is purified, it is used throughout and around the stadium.[22][23] Pipes placed under
the playing surface gather heat in the winter to warm the stadium and coldness in the summer to
cool the stadium.[24] The stadium's design originally called for a capacity of 100,000 people; however
9,000 were removed during a simplification of the design. The new total of 91,000 would be shaved
further when 11,000 temporary seats were removed after the 2008 Olympics; bringing the stadium's
capacity to 80,000.[1][25] The farthest seat is 460 feet (140 meters) from center field.[3][24] Temperature
and airflow of every surface were optimized to increase ventilation.[24]
Beijing National Stadium hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football
final of the 2008 Summer Olympicsfrom 8 to 24 August 2008.[4] The stadium also hosted
the Opening and Closing ceremonies and athletic events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics from 6 to
17 September 2008.[4] Though designed for track & field events of the Olympics, the stadium will

continue to host sporting events, such as football, afterwards.[13] A shopping mall and a hotel, with
rooms overlooking the field, are planned to help increase use after the Olympics.[3] Li stated, "This
will become the most important public space in Beijing."[3]

Post-Olympics[edit]
On the first anniversary, 8 August 2009, the stadium hosted a performance of the opera Turandot,
and the 2009 Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) final, the traditional curtain raiser to the Italian
football league season.[26] The Beijing Guoan football club was scheduled to play at the stadium, but
later backed out of their agreement, citing the embarrassment of using an 80,000+ seat venue for
games that routinely draw only slightly more than 10,000.[6][27]
On 12 January 2009 the venue's owners announced plans for the stadium to anchor a shopping and
entertainment complex. These plans, being developed by operator Citic Group, are projected to take
three to five years to achieve. The stadium will also continue to function as a tourism attraction, while
seeking sports and entertainment events.[27]
The stadium hosted the 2009 Race of Champions motor racing carnival[28] and will be the venue of a
motor racing circuit to launch the FIA Formula E Championship motor racing series in a concept
similar to the Sydney Olympic Park circuit.
In July 2010, the stadium hosted a friendly football match between Football League
Championship team Birmingham City and Beijing Guoan as a part of Birmingham's pre-season trip
to China, homeland of the club's owner Carson Yeung. Birmingham City recorded a 1-0 victory in the
game.[29]
In spite of the lack of significant events, the stadium appears to be quite profitable, drawing some
20,000 to 30,000 people a day at the price of a 50 yuan admission.[30] Recently it has been used as a
snow theme park.[31] The venue costs approximately $9 million to maintain per year.[6] Due to a lack
of use, paint is already peeling in some areas.[27]
On 1 November 2010 the IAAF announced that the 2015 World Championships in Athletics will take
place at the Beijing National Stadium.[32]
In August 2011, the Bird's Nest once again hosted the Supercoppa Italiana, the stadium's second in
three years, and hosted it again in 2012.
Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC played each other in the inaugural China Cup, a one-off match
in Beijings the stadium played on Friday, 27 July 2012. Manchester City FC won the match with a
score of 2-0.[33]
American-Taiwanese pop star Leehom Wang held the first solo pop concert at the stadium on April
14, 2012.[34]

Korean pop artists under S.M. Entertainment including Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior (Super
Junior-M), Girls' Generation, SHINee, f(x), EXO, Zhang Liyin, and Tastyperformed at the stadium for
the first time on October 19, 2013 as part of the SMTown Live World Tour III.
The stadium will be used for opening and closing ceremonies of 2022 Winter Olympics if the
application is successful. It will be the only stadium to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics
opening ceremonies.
In June 2014, Dreamwork's 'How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular' opened in a 4,000 seat
theatre built on land owned by the Beijing National Stadium.[35]

The Beijing National Stadium at night during the Summer Olympics

Inside of the stadium during the 2008 Summer Olympics

Interior view of the stadium

2008 Summer Olympics flame

Detail of the exterior

Architectural detail of the stadium's exterior

Beijing National Stadium in the night