Guide Note

The Beijing National Aquatics Center, known informally as the Water Cube, is Beijing's main venue for swimming and diving events during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was built next to the Beijing National Stadium, and the two buildings are the centerpieces of Beijing's Olympic Green.

Fast Facts

1. Official name: Beijing National Aquatics Centre
2. Also known as: called the Water Cube and [H2O]3
3. Designed by PTW, Arup, China State Construction and Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and the CSCEC's Shenzhen Design Institute
4. Ground broken: December 24, 2003
5. Construction completed: January, 2008
6. Estimated cost:$150-$200 million
7. Permanent seats: 6,000
8. Additional temporary seating for the 2008 Olympics: 5,000¹
9. Built primarily out of plastics and other non-conventional materials
10. Designed to reduce energy consumption
11. Largest building in the world that is built primarily out of ETFE plastic
12. The design reduced energy consumption 30%, compared to a traditional glass structure

The core of the Aquatic Center uses conventional concrete foundations and a steel frame. But the rest of the building uses unique materials in order to cut energy consumption. It is covered by 100,000 square meters of ETFE plastic panels instead of traditional glass.² The walls are lined with plastic bubbles which insulate the building. These materials make the exterior of the building resemble a block of bubbles.

1. Bird's Nest Stadium
2. Digital Beijing Building
3. Beijing Airport Terminal Three