Beijing has both excellent and classical architecture but few
distinguished modern buildings. Now such world famous architects as
Ram Koolhass, de Meuron, Paul Andrew and PTW Architects are to
display their skills here. With the speeding up of China's
urbanization and the challenging concept of the 2008 Olympic Games,
almost all famous design consortiums from around the world have
found that China is one of the few countries which provides not
only imaginary space but also abundant funds for modern
architecture today. Therefore, Ram Koolhass's "door", Herzog and de
Meuron's "bird-nest", Paul Andrew's "eggshell" and PTW Architects'
"water cube" are just a small part of the skills displayed by
famous architects in China.
National Swimming Center--exquisite and exciting "Water
Cube"
A semi-transparent "cube", with "bubbles" spread out all over its
surface, is a shape very similar to the structure of? "H2O",
the outlook for the National Swimming Center at the 2008 Olympic
Games. After the games, it will become a recreational water park
open to the public.
In Chinese culture, water is an important natural element. It
creates a calming atmosphere and inspires happiness. Taking full
consideration of the functions of water in recreation and
bodybuilding, designers have explored many ways for people of
different age groups to appreciate its function. The design is
called "Water Cube". Many creative designs have been employed in
the creation of the swimming pools at the swimming center. Other
high-tech facilities including optical devices used to define
positions of athletes, and multiple-angle, three-dimensional
screening systems are provided to help spectators enjoy
competitions.
The National Swimming Center, one of the three landmark
buildings for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is located inside the
Beijing Olympic Park. Covering a total floor space of 50,000 square
meters, it has 17,000 seats. The project costs about US$100
million. The center will be a venue for swimming, diving,
synchronized swimming and water-polo games during the period of the
Olympic Games. After the games, the center will become a large
water recreational center open to the public.
In January 2003, Beijing started to solicit design schemes for
the National Swimming Center. The international competition settled
on "Water Cube" as the winning scheme. It is designed by the design
consortium consisting of the China State Construction Engineering
Corporation, China State Construction International (Shenzhen)
Design Co Ltd, PTW Architects (Australia) and Ove Arup
(Australia).
The National Swimming Center will be the only landmark Olympic
venue that is constructed by donations from compatriots from Hong
Kong and Macao. The construction of "Water Cube" began in 2003 and
hopes to be completed before 2006.
National Stadium--natural "Bird's Nest"
"Bird's Nest" is jointly designed by Herzog and De Meuron
Architekten AG, Switzerland, and China Architecture Design
Institute. It gained high praise and also aroused most controversy.
Some people think the design is too avant-garde and trendy, and
not in keeping with acceptable traditional ideas. However, insiders
think "Bird's Nest" has properly expressed a new architectural
vernacular. Such schemes can not work out without an understanding
of Chinese philosophy and the Chinese idea of good timing,
geographical convenience and harmonious human relations.
According to designer De Meauron, first, it is a contemporary
Chinese building; second, it has close links with Chinese culture;
third, it is reliable in its use of techniques. The architecture of
the 20th century emphasized technology. In the new century it will
reflect the contemporary culture of the Olympic Games. The stadium
is designed for its people; the "gentle" environment shows respect
to its athletes.
The stadium is a bowl shape with a red stand. It looks like a
nest structure. It is made of gray mining steel covered with a
transparent membrane. "Bird's Nest" is an original creation, with a
fresh and unique appeal, an exciting example of global
architecture.
As the main stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games, the National
Stadium is located in the Olympic Park, northeast of the city axis
line, covering an area of 204,100 square meters and forming a
construction area of 258,000 square meters. During the 2008
Olympics, the National Stadium is designated to host the opening
and closing ceremony, the track and field competition and the
soccer games, etc.
The National Stadium accommodates 100,000 spectators of which
20,000 are with temporary seating. After the 2008 Olympics, the
National Stadium will be converted to an 80,000-seater stadium
suitable for large-scale sport competitions and other
non-competitive events. The National Stadium will become a
large-scale venue for sports, recreation and entertainment for the
people of Beijing.
The construction work will be completed by 2006.
New CCTV site--unconventional "Z
crisscross"
While elaborating on his design concept, Ram Koolhass, designer of
"Z crisscross" said: "It's the architecture that China needs -- I
bring it to you now!" Wu Yaodong, vice general architect of
Tsinghua Architecture Design Institute, pointed out "The open
attitude shown in selecting design schemes of this high caliber has
surpassed the architecture itself."
A member of the review committee said, "the designer of the new
CCTV (China Central Television) site changed from a domestic master
to an international master. The pressure it brought is not whether
the scheme is backward, but rather the futurist design may not be
accepted by the general public."
The design of the new CCTV site started from invitation biddings
from 10 architecture design organizations, of different styles,
from around the world, to the final selected scheme. Hong Kong
architect Rocco Yim, a member of the review committee, said, "The
design scheme selection of the CCTV competition was very
professional," compared with other appraisals he has taken part
in.
After discussions and polling, the three schemes shortlisted
were the Metropolitan Architecture of the Netherlands, Japan's Toyo
Ito Architecture and the Shanghai Xiandai Architecture Design
Group. The design scheme of the Metropolitan Architecture of the
Netherlands impressed most members of the committee, not only for
the design itself but also for remarks made by its designer, Ram
Koolhass. Later, Koolhass's scheme became the final selection.
With a 230-meter high major building, the new CCTV site will be
a landmark in the heart of the Central Business District (CBD) in
eastern Beijing. The project, which will cost around US$600
million, has 550,000 square meters of floor space. The? space
will be divided into several construction areas in accordance with
the operational requirements and functions of various
departments.
The project, which started in March 2003, will be completed in
2008.
National Grand Theater--Paul Andrew's
"Eggshell"
According to French architect Paul Andrew, after the
construction is completed, the Grand Theater will look like a huge
green park with an oval and silver grand theater encircled by green
water. The shell, made of titanium metal and glass together with
day and night lights will add radiance and beauty to each other,
and have fast-changing colors. The surroundings of the Grand
Theater are semi-transparent, golden netted glass walls. People can
see the sky inside the building through its dome. Some people
describe the complete Grand Theater as "a crystal drop of water",
other people call it a "big egg shell" or "boiled egg".
The Grand Theater project was approved by the State Council in
April, 1998 and formerly put into construction on December 13,
2001. It is expected to be completed before October 1, 2005 and to
present its first performance during the latter half of 2005.
It will be China's top arts performance center and a first class
art palace.
Covering a total area of 118,900 square meters, the Grand
Theater has a total floor space of 149,500 square meters. It is
equipped with accessory facilities including halls for opera,
music, drama, art exhibitions, as well as an art exchange center,
and audio and video store. Opera, dancing and ballet will be mainly
presented in the opera hall, which can accommodate an audience of
2,416. The Music Hall, which can accommodate 2,017, will mainly
present large orchestral work and folk music. Drama and local opera
including Peking opera will be staged in the drama hall.
At the northern side of the Grand Theater there will be an
underground parking lot, which can hold almost 1,000 motor vehicles
and 1,400 more bicycles. It can be used as an accessory facility
for the Grand Theater and as a public facility in the Tian'anmen
Square area.
Beijing joins world architecture trend
Wang Mingxian, deputy chief of the Environment Art Committee of
the China Construction Culture and Art Association, said: "In
recent years, Beijing has taken big steps in introducing modern
architecture at a high level."
?
"People hold different opinions about whether the large-scale
introduction of variously styled architecture from global
competitors will make Beijing an experimental area of foreign
architecture. In regard to the underdeveloped modern architecture
of Beijing, we first have a welcome attitude. However the needs of
city planning as well as historical protection require combining
old with new."
(China.org.cn by Wang Qian and Daragh Moller, January 16,
2004)
?
