Beijing National Stadium - Beijing Concert Venues Guide and Tickets Beijing National Stadium Reviews : Beijing National Stadium, also colloquially as Bird's Nest (Chinese Name : 国家体育场; 鸟巢), This huge stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Located in the Olympic Green, the US$423 million stadium is the world's largest steel structure. The stadium's design originally called for a capacity of 100,000 people; however 9,000 were removed during a simplification of the design. nowadays, the National Stadium host the large-scale sports tournament, concerts and otherwise after the Olympics. What's on Stage Spazio Mondo - The Beijing National Stadium Spazio Mondo Olympic Editions The Beijing National Stadium There are many reasons to remember the 2008 Olympic Games, and one of these is undoubtedly the impressive events broadcasted to audiences around the world from the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, a building universally dubbed with the nickname "the Bird's Nest".

IN SHORT Start date of construction: December 24, 2003 Cost of project: $423 million Structural engineering: Arup Capacity: 80,000/91,000 (2008 Olympic games) Download the complete Case History An architectural miracle The reason for the name immediately strikes the eye : an intricate system of ties and a complex steel structure makes the building look like a huge nest, that can hold up to 91,000 spectators and has one of the world's fastest athletic tracks. The history of this architectural miracle began with an annoucement issued on December 19, 2002. On March 26, 2003 a team of international experts examined the proposals coming from all over the world. In April, the winner was announced: the swiss Herzog & De Meuron firm, which along with Arup Sport and the China Architecture Design & Research Group would deliver the full project in December 2007. Everything was perfect, up to the last details.

On June 28, 2008 a grand opening ceremony drew the curtain on this colossal stage that would for about a month put the Chinese dragon under the worlds’ astonished eyes. The myth Creating a building of this magnitude was not an easy task. In China everything is a symbol and a reference to the past and the National Stadium in Beijing was no different. The circular shape of the building represents Heaven, and the intricate pattern was inspired by traditional Chinese “crazed” pottery, which tourists can buy in the Beijing markets. From a distance this building looks like a colossal ship, but also like an immense nest and in which our minds can imagine China as a large bird that has just taken flight. The architecture At the beginning the stadium was designed to accommodate 80,000 spectators. Then the capacity was increased to 91,000 seatsout of which 11,000 were temporary placed on theterrace of the top floor in front of the restaurants. To build the stadium, it took 17,000 workers and 44,000 tons of steel for the structure that rises six floors above the ground.

Because of Beijing’s geological characteristics, the stadium was also conceived to withstand major earthquakes and has become structurally even more secure since it was decided not to proceed with a roof because of its cost. "Our goal was to create an architectural building that could be utilized after the 2008 Olympics," said the Herzog & De Meuron architect. To further celebrate the work a film was produced that narrates all the stages of the stadium construction. The sport If the architectural study was important, we have to keep in mind that the Bird's Nest is first and foremost a stadium and that forathletes competing in the race what matters more than anything is their performance result. The track which runs rapidly under the athletes' feet was designed by Mondo. Mondotrack FTX, is a highly innovative material, resulting from applied research and decades of knowledge gained in working with the eight previous Olympic Games.. This time to make things more complicated, there were two fundamental characteristics that the management of the Games had imposed. The final building had to be: Hi-Tech with a strong propensity for ecology, since the Beijing Olympics were the first in which there was talk of “green” Olympics. The final track met those requirements in full.

The track is “hi-tech” because it was engineered according to the biomechanics principles and applied engineering. It is also “green” because it was made with environmentally friendly materials and a production cycle that respects the environment at every stage of production. The results The athletes' performances excited the whole world. On August 24th the Olympics came to an end, but the hearts were still warm. Lamine Diack, President of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) excitedly stated: "The Beijing Olympic Games proved again why the IAAF has partnered with Mondo since 1987 and will continue to do so until 2019. Mondo stands for excellence in track surfaces, and we all marvelled at the achievements of the athletes. In addition to the last nine Olympics, Mondo has provided tracks for numerous IAAF World Championships where more than 230 world records have been set, which is an amazing achievement. " National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) | Arup | A global firm of consulting engineers, designers, planners and project managers National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) Fast facts The building’s dynamic form creates a new icon for China and the city of Beijing.

Design ensures that all spectators are as close as possible to the action and have clear sight lines. Gross floor area 254,600m2 with seating capacity for 91,000 including 11,000 temporary seats. The Chinese National Stadium was the 2008 Olympic Games’ most striking structure, recognised all over the world. The building’s dynamic form and vast scale create a new icon for China and the city of Beijing. The circular shape of the stadium represents 'heaven', while the adjacent square form of the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) , also design-engineered by Arup, is a reflection of the Chinese symbol for Earth. The structural form of the stadium is popularly described as a 'bird’s nest', with its pattern inspired by Chinese-style 'crazed pottery'. Seemingly random, the pattern abides by complex rules for which advanced geometry was defined. To ensure a compact and optimum design, the seating bowl was established first, with the outer façade wrapping around it. The design ensures that all spectators are as close as possible to the action and have clear sight lines.

As Beijing is located in one of the world’s most active seismic zones, Arup used advanced seismic analysis to test the stadium under various earthquake conditions and ensure that the structure can withstand major shocks. Share: National Indoor Stadium (Beijing, China): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor “Beijing National Stadium - Bird's Nest” Reviewed August 3, 2015 Just took the subway line 8 and stopped at the Olympic Sports Center. The Bird's Nest is just a part of the Olympic Park but is the most obvious reason why people go there - see the Bird's Nest. The place is soooooooooooo huge!!! Lots of walking and a good way to exercise. If you want to go inside and... More Helpful? Beijing National Stadium, Bird's Nest National Stadium Pictures Affectionately known as Bird's Nest, the National Stadium is situated in Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District of Beijing City. It was designed as the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games . The Olympic events of track and field, football, gavelock, weight throw and discus were held there. Since October, 2008, after the Olympics ended, it has been opened as a tourist attraction.

Now, it's the center of international or domestic sports competition and recreation activities. In 2022, the opening and closing ceremonies of another important sport event, Winter Olympic Games will be held here. The design of this large stadium was accomplished together by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and Chinese architect Li Xinggang and the others. The designers didn't do any redundant disposals to the look of the stadium. They just exposed the steel structures entirely and let them become the most natural appearance. The form of the stadium looks like a big nest which embraces and nurses human beings. Also it looks rather like a cradle bearing human beings' hope of the future. The construction of the National Stadium started on December 24, 2003. On July, 2004, the project was stopped temporarily due to the amendment of the design. On December 27 of the same year, the construction was resumed and finished in March, 2008. The gross cost of the whole project is 2,267 million Chinese yuan (about 33 million dollars). National Stadium is like a huge bird's nest.

Inside Scene The stadium covers an area of about 258 thousand square meters (99.614 square miles), which can accommodate 80,000 fixed seats and 11,000 temporary seats. Its appearance was formed by big steel frames. Its top surface is saddle-shaped with the major axis of 332.3 meters (1,090 feet) and the stub axis of 296.4 meters (972 feet). The tallest point of the stadium is 68.5 meters (225 feet) above the ground and the lowest point is 42.8 meters (140 feet). The top is covered by semi-transparent air bubble film. This kind of material is waterproof and can make enough sunshine penetrate into the stadium. Owing to that, the lawns in it can grow well. Olympic Green Map In the National Stadium, the designs of everything are humanistic. The bowl-like stands zone surrounds the court. The stands can be changed in many ways, which can satisfy the needs of different numbers of spectators in different periods. During the Olympics, the temporary seats were set at the top of the stands zone. Rows of the stands distribute scientifically.

No matter where the spectator is seated, the whole game can be seen without any visual obstruction. The stadium adopted the electro-acoustic public-address system. It makes the index of voice definition reaches 0.6. This number assures that all the audience can hear the broadcast very clearly. What's more, there are more than 200 wheelchair seats intended for the disabled. Many architectural experts think that it not only is a symbol building of the 2008 Olympics but also set a very good example to the world's architectural history. The Bird's Nest boasts the largest ski resort in urban Beijing now. Tourists can not only visit the Olympic venue, but also go skiing. Tips on Skiing for your reference Tip: Besides the National Stadium, you may visit its neighboring attractions such as the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and the National Indoor Stadium. 2017 Happy Snow and Ice Season The 8th session under the theme of "Icy Bird's Nest, Passionate Winter Olympics" is held at the Bird's Nest from December 7, 2016 to February 28, 2017.

The stadium turns into a ski resort during this period.Tourists have opportunities to take part in more than 30 kinds of sports and entertainment activities, such as ski jumping, ice skating, snow tubing, bumper car on the ice and biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle shooting). Besides, kids can enjoy themselves by joining some indoor activities including canoeing, fencing and equestrianism at the Children's Area. The tickets on regular days are CNY 120, and CNY 160 at weekends and public holidays. Children under 3.9 feet (1.2m) can enter for free. Transportation By Bus: Take bus 82, 538 or 645 and get off at Guo Jia Ti Yu Chang Dong Station. Take bus 108, 124, 18, 328, 380, 387, 409, 426, 620, 653, 694, Te 11 or T2 and get off at Ao Ti Dong Men (Olympic Sports Center East Gate) Station.

Take bus 407 and get off at Ao Ti Xi Men (Olympic Sports Center West Gate) Station. By Subway: Take Subway Line 10 to Beitucheng then switch to Subway Line 8 (Olympic Special Line): get off at Olympic Sports Center Station, get out of the station from Exit B1 (northwest exit) or Exit B2 (northeast exit), and walk north to it. Beijing National Stadium - Bird's Nest - Review of National Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China - TripAdvisor Review of National Indoor Stadium South of Olympic Park Center, No.9 Chaoyang District, Beijing 100000, China Name/address in local language “Beijing National Stadium - Bird's Nest” South of Olympic Park Center, No.9 Chaoyang District, Beijing 100000, China 67 Reviews | Ranked #111 of 1599 To help you get around Beijing, here's the name and address of this business in the local language Local name 国家体育馆 Ancient Beijing Beijing Hutong Lama Temple Jingshan Park and Olympic Stadium by...

See more tours on Viator “Beijing National Stadium - Bird's Nest” Reviewed August 3, 2015 Just took the subway line 8 and stopped at the Olympic Sports Center. The Bird's Nest is just a part of the Olympic Park but is the most obvious reason why people go there - see the Bird's Nest. The place is soooooooooooo huge!!! Lots of walking and a good way to exercise. If you want to go inside and look at the stadium you have to pay for a ticket. I did not go inside because there is no event. I am still amazed with the beauty of the Bird's Nest. I was also able to walk around and saw "The Cube" or the Aquatic Center. All in all, it was awesome!!! Visited August 2015 Ask Roi B about National Indoor Stadium This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. 67 reviews from our community Visitor rating Reviewed June 26, 2015 via mobile Not sure if they mix these up, National Stadium is not the same as Olympic Park, very hard to find either but the birds nest is different from the stadium.

Visited June 2015 Ask Chris101111 about National Indoor Stadium This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Saravanan R “Bird Nest Stadium & The Cube” Reviewed June 3, 2015 We reach there around 9.00 pm. We took MRT station and exit Olympic Sport Center station. The light show for the stadium and cube were amazing. Visited January 2015 Ask Saravanan R about National Indoor Stadium This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Liusi0820 “The best stadium in the world” Reviewed May 17, 2015 First visited during the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Dec, I felt so proud that our motherland has such an amazing stadium here to invited million citizens of the world here to compete in sports! The stadium, as many already know, is shaped like a nest, we call it the "Bird's Nest". But the material is made of metal. To enter the stadium, you need to pay 100 yuan and pass security check.

Then you will find touts selling kites at 10-50 yuan, and touts that sell you souvenirs of the Bird's Nest statue at a high price...be careful not to be tricked, just ignore them and move on. Visited first in Dec 2008, then in Sep 2011, Oct-Dec 2012, Dec 2013, and 2014. Visited June 2014 Beijing National Stadium, 'The Bird's Nest' - Design Build Network The "bird's nest" alongside the Watercube. Beijing National Stadium, 'The Bird's Nest', China The £300m Beijing National Stadium, located at the south of the centrepiece Olympic Green, is a stunning landmark building, which staged the 2008 Olympic Games from 8 August to 24 August 2008. The opening and closing ceremonies and athletic track and field events of the 29th Olympiad took place at the stadium. It also hosted the Summer Paralympics from 6 September to 17 September 2008 and Race of Champions 2009.

The stadium has a gross volume of three million cubic metres and is considered to be the world's largest enclosed space. It is also the world's largest steel structure with 26km of unwrapped steel used. The innovative structure was designed by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and the China Architecture Design and Research Group, and has been nicknamed the "bird's nest" due to the web of twisting steel sections that form the roof. As well as designing a modern stadium, the team was challenged with creating a venue that was part of the culture of China and would put Beijing on the map. The 91,000-seat stadium was designed to incorporate elements of Chinese art and culture. The National Stadium's main structure is an enormous saddle-shaped elliptic steel structure weighing 42,000t. The stadium extends 333m from north to south and 294m from east to west, with a height of 69.2m. The stadium design included demountable seats of 11,000.

"The £300m Beijing National Stadium is located at the south of the centrepiece Olympic Green." Beijing National Stadium structure and design The stadium has two independent structures, a red concrete seating bowl and the outer steel frame around it at a 50ft distance. As this was an Olympic venue, there were many standards that the design consortium had to conform to. Everything from the width of the track to the size and location of the long and high jump pits needed to satisfy the requirements set out by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). The architects and engineers also had to satisfy the requirements laid down by the National Stadium Company in order to create a bold, stand-out, world-class stadium and to design it with as much flexibility as possible for future use. The circular shape of the stadium represents heaven, but has been described as a bird's nest, with its pattern inspired by Chinese-style crazed pottery. A series of cantilevered trusses has been designed to support the roof, shading the seats. While designing the stadium, architects and engineers also ensured comfortable seats and optimum view for all spectators.

Focus was also given to designing the stadium in such a way that it should be able to withstand earthquakes without much damage as the stadium is located in one of the world's most seismic zones. The concourses are wide and spacious for making the refreshment and merchandising stalls easily accessible. There is also a large mixed-use retail development beneath the stadium featuring shops, restaurants, cinemas, a health club and parking. The football field of the stadium with an area of 8,000m² provided enough space for the underground pipes of the geothermal heat pump (GHP) system, through which ground-source energy is collected. In winter, the system absorbs the heat from the soil and helps heating the stadium, while in summer the coldness from the soil is stored which cools the stadium. Computational fluid dynamics (CDF) simulation based on the Games-time situation has been used to calculate the temperature and airflow speed at each angle of the structure and optimise all ventilation facilities accordingly.

Finance The China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) consortium, which raised 42% of the finance for the project in return for a 35-year tender after the Olympics were finished, comprises the CITIC Group, the Beijing Urban Construction Group, the Golden State Holding Group of the United States, and the CITIC Group affiliate Guoan Elstrong (a public, private partnership arrangement). The remaining 58% is funded by the Beijing Municipal Government and this has been entrusted to the Beijing State-owned Assets Management Co Ltd as the city government's representative. Beijing National Stadium contractors and construction Construction began on 23 December 2003 and was finished in early 2008. Beijing Mechanical Construction Company won the bid for earthwork and foundation treatment in November 2003 and work began almost immediately. CITIC Internationals Contracting Inc was the major construction contractor. "The Beijing National Stadium has been nicknamed the 'bird's nest' due to the web of twisting steel sections that form the roof." Structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, fire safety engineering, acoustic design were the responsibility of Ove Arup & Partners. Beijing Urban Construction Group Co.

Ltd (BUCG) organised the project along with China Architecture Design & Research Group. To minimise the formwork construction on the bowl, the design team used precast concrete. A terrace of L-shaped precast units spanning areas between the supporting reinforced concrete in situ beams will make up the section of the middle and upper tiers. The stadium is supported by 24 main columns of 1,000t each, far more than the weight of those in a conventional stadium and spaced in what appears to be a random pattern. The 3D steel roof spans a 330m-long by 220m-wide space. The geometry of the roof was worked out from a base ellipse of which the major axis measures 313m and the minor axis measures 266m. The façade's external surface has an inclination of approximately 13° to the vertical. As China is highly vulnerable to earthquakes, the roof was separated from the seating bowl to help make the structure earthquake resistant. National Stadium 'Bird's Nest' architecture The team wanted an optimum balance between making sure every spectator had a good view, creating a good atmosphere and designing an elegant building.

It also needed to be aware of the different uses of the stadium; for example, when used as an athletics stadium, the most important view is at the finish line of the running track but when used for football, the best views are at the centre line. Getting everyone close enough in such a big venue was a real challenge and getting the calculations right was an immense task. For example, changing the height of the first row of seating by just 100mm would make the stadium significantly larger and higher and increase the cost by several million pounds. To achieve the optimum design, the team relied heavily on parametric design software. This helped to work out the sightlines, the bowl geometry, airflow to keep the grass in good condition, seismic studies and the design of the external envelope. While the surface of the structure is simple, the geometry is complex – the calculations were so numerous and complicated that they could not be solved manually. Software was needed to make sure that the web of twisting steel sections fitted together, as they have to twist and bend to follow the surface accurately. The main elements support each other and converge into a grid formation. The stand of the stadium is a seven-storey shear wall system with a concrete framework.

The upper part of the stand and the stadium steel structure are actually separated from one another, but both of these are based on a joint foundation. The "nest" structure, however random it might look, follows the rules of geometry and contains 36km of unwrapped steel. The shape of the roof was inspired by yin yang, the Chinese philosophy of balance and harmony. "Construction began on the Beijing National Stadium on 23 December 2003 and was finished in early 2008." The roof is covered with a double-layer membrane structure, with a transparent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) membrane fixed on the upper part of the roofing structure and a translucent PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane fixed on its lower part. A PTFE acoustic ceiling is also attached to the side walls of the inner ring. The spaces in the structure of the stadium are filled with inflated ETFE cushions. On the façade, the inflated cushions are mounted on the inside of the structure where necessary, to provide wind protection. Since all of the facilities – restaurants, suites, shops and restrooms – are all self-contained units, it is possible to do largely without a solid, enclosed façade.

This allows natural ventilation of the stadium, which is the most important aspect of the stadium's sustainable design. To keep costs down, all the structural elements of the stadium are contained within it, so there are no towers or cable nets. The bowl of the structure is split into eight zones, each with its own stability system, making each zone effectively as its own building. Entrance to the stadium is controlled by tripod barriers supplied and fabricated by Kaba Gallenschütz of Germany. The project involved the installation of 138 of these units at the 12 entrances to the stadium. Share Beijing National Stadium, Beijing | 263466 | EMPORIS Beijing National Stadium nightview-night-view-through-the-steel-frame Yang Jun nightview-reflection-in-a-neighbouring-pool Mathias Beinling exterior-view-from-the-southwest Michiel van Dijk Download Extended Building Profile PDF now!

Preview PDF Direct download of the public profile for Beijing National Stadium See all publicly available data fields Miss out on additional information about building data as well as involved companies and their contact information Direct download of the full building profile for Beijing National Stadium See additional building data as well as involved companies and their contact information Receive actionable data and start working with new Leads right away Buy now Additional data fields available Building pinpoint * The price includes VAT and shipping costs. No shipping costs apply to the download. When downloading images you may be subject to other costs from your internet service provider. Beijing Olympic Stadium, National Stadium, Bird's Nest EBN Beijing National Stadium is believed to be the world's largest enclosed space. The total enclosed space inside the roof is 3 million cubic metres. The stadium was designed with the use of CATIA CAD. The roof's upper surface is clad with Ethylene Tetrafluoro Ethylene (ETFE) panels whilst the lower surface is clad with an acoustic membrane to absorb sound. The stadium is constructed from 36km (22 miles) of curved and tilted steel beams that rise from a sloping plinth. The lattice design was influenced by the randomness of nature as well as the patterns found on traditional Chinese pottery.

Geothermal heat is used to both warm and cool the stadium as well as provide hot water. The stadium played host to both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 29th Olympic Games in 2008 as well as the game's track and field events. Ground breaking took place on 24th December, 2003. The stadium is designed to be energy efficient with natural lighting and ventilation used where possible to minimise energy consumption. The stadium has the capacity for 91,000 spectators. After the Olympics, spectator accommodation was reduced to 80,000. The roof weighs 45,000 tonnes and is made from steel. The construction site did not cause any waste: All waste materials from the site preparation and construction phases were either reused on site or at another site, or were sent away for recycling. Do you need more information about this building and its related companies?

Beijing National Stadium - 必应 Sign in Beijing National Stadium Beijing National Stadium, officially the National Stadium (Chinese: 国家体育场 ; pinyin: guójiā tǐyùchǎng), also known as the Bird's Nest ( 鸟巢 ; niǎocháo), is a stadium in Beijing, The stadium (BNS) was a joint venture among architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Herzog & de Meuron, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist Ai Weiwei, and CADG which was led by chief architect Li Xinggang. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and will be used again in the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The stadium is currently used mostly for football matches. Beijing National Stadium History Located at the Olympic Green, the stadium cost US$428 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. 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. Bidding In 2001, before Beijing had been awarded the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Multiple requirements including the ability for post-Olympics use, a retractable roof, and low maintenance costs, were required of each design. The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs.

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." 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. The "nest scheme" design became official in April 2003. 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 Beijing National Stadium (BNS) was a joint venture among architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Herzog & de Meuron, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist Ai Weiwei, and CADG which was led by chief architect Li Xinggang. 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. In an effort to design a stadium that was "porous" while also being "a collective building, a public vessel", the team studied Chinese ceramics. This line of thought brought the team to the "nest scheme". The stadium consists of two independent structures, standing 50 feet apart: a red concrete seating bowl and the outer steel frame around it. 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. Twenty-four trussed columns encase the inner bowl, each one weighing 1,000 tons. Despite the random appearance of the Stadium, each half is nearly symmetrical. After a collapse of a roof at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, Beijing reviewed all major projects. It was decided to eliminate the retractable roof, the original inspiration for the "nest" design, as well as 9,000 seats from the design. The removal of the elements helped to bring the project under the reduced construction budget of $290 million, from an original $500 million.

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. Enerpac was granted the contract to perform the stage lifting and lowering of the stadium roof as part of the construction process. 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." The use is a compliment Li explained, "In China, a bird's nest is very expensive, something you eat on special occasions." Ground was broken, at the Olympic Green, for Beijing National Stadium on 24 December 2003. At its height, 17,000 construction workers worked on the stadium. Portraits of 143 migrant workers at the construction site were featured in the book Workers (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.

However, in a story the following week, Reuters, with the support of the Chinese government, reported that only two workers had died. 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. The field is a modular turf system by GreenTech ITM. Beijing National Stadium officially opened at a ceremony on 28 June 2008. Beijing National Stadium Features and events The eastern and western stands of Beijing National Stadium are higher than northern and southern stands, in order to improve sightlines. A 24-hour-per-day rainwater collector is located near the stadium; after water is purified, it is used throughout and around the stadium. Pipes placed under the playing surface gather heat in the winter to warm the stadium and coldness in the summer to cool the stadium. 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 was shaved further when 11,000 temporary seats were removed after the 2008 Olympics; bringing the stadium's capacity to 80,000. The farthest seat is 460 feet (140 meters) from center field. Temperature and airflow of every surface were optimized to increase ventilation. Beijing National Stadium hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football final of the 2008 Summer Olympics from 8 to 24 August 2008. The stadium also hosted the Opening and Closing ceremonies and athletic events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics from 6 to 17 September 2008. Though designed for track & field events of the Olympics, the stadium continues to host sporting events, such as football, afterwards. A shopping mall and a hotel, with rooms overlooking the field, are planned to help increase use after the Olympics.

Li stated, "This will become the most important public space in Beijing." Post-Olympics Although ignored by the Chinese media, design consultant Ai Weiwei has voiced his anti-Olympics views and distanced himself from the project, saying, "I've already forgotten about it. I turn down all the demands to have photographs with it," and that it is part of a "pretend smile" of bad taste. 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. In August 2011, the Bird's Nest once again hosted the Supercoppa Italiana, the stadium's second in three years, and also in 2012. The Beijing Guo’an 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.

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. The stadium hosted the 2009 Race of Champions motor racing carnival 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. 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. In 2010 it was used as a snow theme park. The venue costs approximately $9 million to maintain per year.

On 1 November 2010 the IAAF announced that the 2015 World Championships in Athletics will take place at the Beijing National Stadium. Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC played each other in the inaugural ‘China Cup’, a one-off match in Beijing’s played on 27 July 2012. Manchester City FC won the match with a score of 2-0. American-Taiwanese pop star Leehom Wang held the first solo pop concert at the stadium on 14 April 2012. 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 Tasty performed at the stadium for the first time on 19 October 2013 as part of the SMTown Live World Tour III. The stadium will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of 2022 Winter Olympics. It will be the only stadium to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics and Paralympics opening ceremonies.

The Stadium will be used for the China national football team International matches 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In June 2014, DreamWorks' 'How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular' opened in a 4,000 seat theatre built on land owned by the Beijing National Stadium. 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 Architectural detail of the stadium's exterior Beijing National Stadium in the night ^ a b "Beijing National Stadium, Olympic Green". East Asia. Arup. Retrieved 28 August 2008. ^ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015. ^ a b c d e f Pasternack 2008, pp.98 ^ a b c "The National Stadium". Competition Venues. The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Archived from the original on 27 August 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.

^ a b c Pasternack 2008, pp.93 ^ "China's New Faces: Ai Weiwei". BBC News. 3 March 2005. Retrieved 26 April 2010. ^ a b c Demick, Barbara (22 February 2009). "Beijing's Olympic building boom becomes a bust". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lubow, Arthur (6 May 2006). "The China Syndrome". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 August 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008. ^ "Presentation of Competation". Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.

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Question: What is the nickname of the Beijing National Stadium?
Answer: The Bird’s Nest