The Beijing National Aquatics Centre : The Beijing National Aquatics Centre is also known as the ‘ Water cube '. It is an aquatics centre which is being built by the Beijing National Stadium in the Olympic Green for the twenty-ninth Summer Games in 2008 . The Beijing National Aquatics Centre will be the host of the swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo events in the Summer Games .
Location of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre : The Beijing National Aquatics Centre is located at the Olympic Green in Beijing in the Chaoyang district . BaDaLing wall and JuYongGuan wall are the nearest part of the Great Wall of China from Beijing . The other travel destinations are the National Museum, China National Exhibition Center, National Agricultural Museum, the World Trade Center and the National Theatre . The Chaolai Agricultural Garden, Tongsheng High-tech Garden and Forrest Garden are various travel destinations near the National Aquatics Centre . Kempinski Beijing, Lufthansa Center, Beijing Jing Gang Wan Hotel, Marriott Beijing Executive Apartments, Beijing Hua Tai Hotel, Renaissance Beijing Hotel, Comfort Inn & Suites, Beijing Kaitai Hotel, Hotel Kunlun are some hotels near the Beijing National Indoor Stadium in the Chaoyang district.
Description of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre : The Beijing National Aquatics Centre or the Water Cube was designed by PTW Architects from Sydney, CSCEC International Design and Arup . The project was designed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) . The structure of the aquatics centre comprises of a steel space frame clad with ETFE pillows . The shape of the structure resembles with the square which is the basic shape of the house in Chinese tradition and mythology . The design of the structure has been derived from the shape of crystals, cells and foam bubbles . Hence the appearance of the National Aquatics Centre is of a “ cube of water molecules ”. Ground was broken for this aquatics centre on 24 th December in 2003 . The National Aquatics Centre is targeted to be completed by the end of 2006 .
Area and Capacity of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre : The total land surface covered by the Beijing National Aquatics Centre will be 70,000 square meters. The capacity of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre will be of 17,000 spectators during the Summer Games . After the Games, the capacity will be reduced to 6,000 spectators.
