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Bird’s Nest (The National Stadium)

Located in the Olympic Green, the National Stadium is the world's largest steel
structure. It is the main stadium of the 29th Olympiad in 2008. Occupying an area of
21 hectares, it has a floor space of 258,000 square meters. Its seating capacity
amounts to 91,000, including 11,000 temporary seats.

The design was awarded to a submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzo
g & 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".

The stadium's appearance is one of synergy, with no distinction made between the
facade and the superstructure. The structural elements mutually support each other and converge into a grid-like formation - almost like a bird's
nest with its interwoven twigs. The spatial effect of the stadium is novel and radical, yet simple and of an almost archaic immediacy, thus creating
a unique historical landmark for the Olympics of 2008. 

The stadium was conceived as a large collective vessel, which makes a distinctive and unmistakable impression both from a distance and when
seen from up close. It 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 walk through this formation and enter the spacious ambulatory that runs full circle
around the stands. From there, one can survey the circulation of the entire area including
the stairs that access the three tiers of 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.