The membrane structure of the outside layer of the National
Aquatics Center, a key venue for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games,?was completed
this morning.
Construction of the landmark project, also called the "Water
Cube," officially started on December 24, 2003. The work on
concrete and steel structures was finished in July 2006. And on
August 1, the installation of cushions of membrane structure was
officially launched.
With the closure of the outside membrane layer project, the
installation of inside cushions will be under way in a synchronized
manner with the indoor fit-up and decoration. The installation of
electromechanical equipment and pipes is currently going on and
indoor fit-up and decoration will start by the end of the year. The
whole project will be completed at the end of 2007.
In accordance with the plan, the venue test event will be
launched at the National Aquatics Center in February 2008.
The material of membrane structure is called ETFE, or
ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene, used for the first time in China.
It is also the largest and most complicated membrane system in a
single building project internationally.
(Beijing2008.cn December 26, 2006)
