Design - Watercube

The Watercube, or the Beijing National Aquatics Center, or 水立方, and also abbreviated as [H2O]3, is the official venue for water games for this Olympic 2008 held at Beijing.

Designed by Australia company, PTW Architects, together with CSCEC International Design and ARUP, the original structure was conceptualised on the idea of Green Olympics.

The team wanted a structure that considers the environment, and one that is energy efficient.

By designing an architecture that boasts of engaging natural light into the interior, the team used ETFE as a membrane to wrap the structure to resemble water bubbles.

The ETFE, together with cleverly planned solar spots incorporated into each bubble, blocks out heat during the summer, and keeps in warmness during the winter. This also plays an important part in controlling the temperature and humidity level in the space, thus ensuring a comfortable competition ground for the contestants, who will be dressed minimal since this is a swimming event complex.

Beijing, or China in whole, is prone to earthquakes and intense snow weather. Watercube's team of architects and engineer performed thorough tests to ensure that the structure will withstand such possible catastrophic damage, although on its own, the steel framework and ETFE membrane does not look capable of staying intact in bad conditions.

Watercube is also the largest ETFE cladded structure of the world at this time, having used more than 100,000 m². While this material looks combustible, it actually burns only when an external fire constantly licked at it. It doesn't spread fire like wood, clothe or most other building material. Of course that will mean that if there is a large fire that burns outside the Watercube, there is a danger of it burning down.

But the immediate surroundings of [H2O]3 is the Olympics Green that is an impressive 680 hectres. I think it's quite safe to say that Watercube is, well, quite safe!

With a seating capacity of 17,000 and a total land surface of 65,000 square metres, and a pool 13 meters deep to ensure the water temperature at a comfortable 28 degree celcius, the entire project was made to look like a cube of water, hence the name given.