The National Stadium is situated in the north of Beijing, on a gentle rise in the center of the Olympic complex. From the beginning of the project, the purpose was to create an urban site with the capacity to attract and generate public activities and to bring new life to this part of the city, even after the 2008 Olympic Games. Significantly, the Chinese nicknamed the Stadium ‘Bird’s Nest’ in the early stages of the project, making it their own before it had even left the drawing board.
From afar, the stadium looks like a gigantic collective shape, like a great scale vessel with undulating rim. The shape follows the contours of the bowl for seating contained inside. From a distant perspective, one can clearly distinguish not only the rounded shape of the building but also the grid of the load-bearing structure, which encases the building, but also appears to penetrate it. But what is seen from afar as a geometrically clear-cut and rational overall configuration of lines evaporates the closer one comes, finally breaking away into huge separate components that look like a chaotic thicket of supports, beams and stairs. The stadium is in this way surrounded by a lobby measuring twelve meters in depth that is at once facade, structure, decoration and public area. In this open space, that allows natural ventilation of the stadium, people gather in restaurants, bars and shops, or walk around the platforms and access paths that cross each other diagonally and vertically. It is the link between the city and the interior of the sports complex and, at the same time, an autonomous urban site. Herein lies the potential of the project.
The image of the stadium is, therefore, purely structural: facade and structure are identical. The load-bearing elements support one another and converge into a spatial grid-like formation in which facades, stairs, bowl structure and roof are integrated. In order to make the roof weatherproof, the spaces in the structure of the stadium are filled with translucent membranes of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), recalling the soft fillers birds use to stuff the spaces between the woven twigs of their nests. The ceiling is clad with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), an acoustic membrane that reflects sound to maintain the enthusiastic atmosphere of the stadium while veiling the structure in order to focus attention on the spectators and events on the field.
Competition 2002–2003Project 2003–2005Realization 2003–2008
The National Stadium, a New Kind of Public Space for Beijing
The National Stadium is situated on a gentle rise in the centre of the Olympic complex to the north of Beijing. Its location is predefined by the master plan. All other urban and architectural decisions were initiated by our competition project and subsequently implemented in our construction project. Our most important principle throughout has been to develop an architecture that will continue to be functional following the Games in 2008, in other words, to create a new kind of urban site that will attract and generate public life in this part of Beijing. Significantly, the Chinese themselves nicknamed the stadium “Bird‘s Nest” in the very early stages of the project, thereby essentially assimilating it as their own, before it had even left the drawing board.
From the distance, the stadium looks like a gigantic collective shape, like a vessel whose undulating rim echoes the rising and falling ramps for spectators inside the stadium. From this distant perspective, one can clearly distinguish not only the rounded shape of the building but also the grid of the load-bearing structure, which encases the building, but also appears to penetrate it. What is seen from afar as a geometrically clear-cut and rational overall configuration of lines, evaporates the closer one comes, finally separating into huge separate components. The components look like a chaotic thicket of supports, beams and stairs, almost like an artificial forest.
In this Piranesian space, people get together in restaurants, bars, hotels and shops, or on the platforms and the crisscrossing horizontal, diagonal and vertical paths of access. This space, surrounding the interior of the stadium, is façade, structure, decoration and public space all in one. It is the link between the city outside and the interior of the stadium and is, at the same time, an autonomous, urban site. Herein lays the real potential of the project; it aims to be more than an Olympic sports arena for one single, admittedly unique occasion. This area between inside and outside affords the opportunity to create a new kind of urban and public place – even more so in view of the fact that people in Beijing love public life and are experienced users of public space. Sports, games, later rock concerts and other activities will, of course, dominate the use of the interior, while the new park on the plinth will invite people to stop a while and relax; the really novel feature of the project is clearly the transitional space between interior and exterior. This is the space that will inspire people to move about, to be together and to enjoy each other’s company.
The Plinth
The geometries of the plinth and stadium merge into one element, like a tree and its roots. Pedestrians flow on a lattice of smooth slate walkways that extend from the structure of the stadium. The spaces between walkways provide amenities for the stadium visitor: sunken gardens, stone squares, bamboo groves, mineral hill landscapes, and openings into the plinth itself. Gently, almost imperceptibly, the ground of the city rises and forms a plinth for the stadium. The entrance to the stadium is therefore slightly raised, providing a panorama of the entire Olympic complex.
Structure = Façade = Roof = Space
The spatial effect of the stadium is novel and radical, and yet simple and of an almost archaic immediacy. Its appearance is pure structure. Façade and structure are identical. The structural elements mutually support each other and converge into a spatial grid-like formation, in which façades, stairs, bowl structure and roof are integrated. To make the roof weatherproof, the spaces in the structure of the stadium are filled with a translucent membrane, just as birds stuff the spaces between the woven twigs of their nests with soft filler. Since all of the facilities – restaurants, suites, shops and restrooms – are self-contained units, it is largely possible to do without a solid, enclosed façade. This allows natural ventilation of the stadium, which is the most important aspect of the stadium’s sustainable design.
The Bowl
The stadium is conceived as a large collective vessel, which makes a distinctive and unmistakable impression both when it is seen from a distance and from close up. Inside the stadium, an evenly constructed bowl-like shape serves to generate crowd excitement and drive athletes to outstanding performances. To create a smooth and homogeneous appearance, the stands have minimal interruption and the acoustic ceiling hides the structure in order to focus attention on the spectators and the events on the field. The human crowd forms the architecture.
Herzog & de Meuron, 2007
The new National Stadium is located on a gentle rise in the center of the Olympic complex. It is conceived as a large collective vessel. The stadium’s appearance is pure structure. Facade and structure are identical. The structural elements mutually support each other and converge into a grid-like formation, almost like a bird’s nest with its interwoven twigs, in which facades, stairs and the roof are integrated. The spatial effect of the stadium is novel and radical and yet simple and of an almost archaic immediacy, thus creating a unique historical landmark for the Olympics 2008.
Gently, almost imperceptibly, the ground of the city rises and forms a plinth for the stadium. The entrance to the stadium is therefore slightly raised, providing a panorama of the entire Olympic complex. Thanks to this elevation, the stadium does not have to be dug into the earth and the foundations are not affected by the groundwater.The stadium meets all the functional and technical requirements of an Olympic National Stadium, but without communicating the insistent sameness of technocratic architecture dominated by large spans and digital screens.
Visitors enter the spacious ambulatory that runs full circle around the stands. Functioning like an arcade or a concourse, the lobby is a covered urban space with restaurants and stores that invite visitors to stroll around. The stands are designed without any interruption to evoke the image of a bowl. This evenly constructed shape serves to focus attention on the spectators and the events on the field. The human crowd forms the architecture. The facility provides good comfort, excellent views and a superb atmosphere. Just as birds stuff the spaces between the woven twigs of their nests with a soft filler, the spaces in the structure of the stadium will be filled with inflated ETFE cushions. On the roof, the cushions will be mounted on the outside of the structure to make the roof completely weatherproof.
Whilst the rain is collected for rainwater recuperation, the sunlight filters through the translucent roof providing the lawn with essential UV-Radiation. On the facade, the inflated cushions will be mounted on the inside of the structure where necessary. Since all of the facilities – restaurants, suites, shops and restrooms – are self-contained units, it is possible to do largely without a solid, enclosed facade. This allows natural ventilation of the stadium, the most important aspect for a sustainable design.
