Water Cube Complete (January, 2008)

After four years' construction, the blue-colored National Aquatics Center (NAC), or the Water Cube, was inaugurated and delivered for use on the morning of January 28. Excellently, it is a new landmark of Beijing.

Covering an area of 6.95 hectares, the Water Cube is located on the southern part of the central area of the Olympic Green in Beijing. Along with the National Stadium, the Water Cube is adjacent to the central axis of the city, at an equal distance of the axis, resembling two fantastic jewels. It is the only venue which was be funded by donations from compatriots both home and abroad.

Architects, PTW and engineering group, Ove Arup, both based in Sydney, designed the new Chinese National Swimming Centre together with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and the CSCEC Shenzhen Design Institute (CSCEC+DESIGN). With the efforts of various participants, many scientific and technical difficulties were overcome.

The outside skin is made of the Teflon-like material known as ETFE, or ethylene-tetrafluoro ethylene. Composed of two layers, it's separated by an interior passage that allows the building to breathe like a greenhouse. The project's ETFE air cushion structures are the first of their kind to be used in China and the largest and most complicated membrane system in any single project in the world.

The Water Cube contains 6,000 permanent seats and 11,000 temporary ones. Forty-two gold medals will be handed out at the Water Cube during the Olympics, which start Aug. 8.

After the Olympics, the Water Cube has been built to be converted to a shopping area and leisure centre with tennis courts, retail outlets, nightclubs and restaurants.