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During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, much of the spotlight will be on the National Aquatics Center, and with good reason. At the National Aquatics Center, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded in 42 events in categories like swimming and diving. Obviously, if you’re a fan of water sports, the National Aquatics Center is where the action will be this summer at the Beijing Olympics.

The National Aquatics Center was inaugurated on January 28, 2008, after four years of construction. The groundbreaking happened in December of 2003, and construction began immediately after on the state of the art facility. By the end of 2005, the concrete structure was finished and the steel structure was nearly finished being installed. In August of the following year, the first of the air cushions was installed, and by the end of the year, membrane structures were also introduced on the outside of the National Aquatics Center. In 2007, decorating, municipal engineering works, and electro-mechanical equipment was completed and installed, finishing the construction of the facility.

The “Water Cube”, as the National Aquatics Center is also known, is hailed as an environmentally friendly facility. Among the “green” design choices include surface water exploitation and enhanced air-conditioning and ventilation systems. However, the most impressive aspect of the environmentally sound design is the outer surface of the National Aquatics Center. The outer surface can collect up to 10,000 tons of water from rain, 70,000 tons of water that is clean, and 60,000 tons of water for the swimming pool each year, along with saving approximately 140,000 tons of recycled water every year.

The National Aquatics Center is also sure to turn heads with its futuristic and high-tech look. Supposedly, the facility will last 100 years due to the strength of the membrane structure’s stability. Adding to the aesthetic wonders of the facility is a moat that surrounds the National Aquatics Center. This moat of sorts also has a practical effect, keeping spectators from touching the bubbly surface of the facility. Designers are sure that birds will steer clear of the “Water Cube” as well, as they do not rest themselves on transparent or semitransparent objects.

If you’re attending the Beijing Olympics this summer, you’ll be glad to know that the National Aquatics Center is also easily accessible, whether you choose public transportation or a personal vehicle to reach the facility. The “Water Cube” is located close to the Olympic Green Central Zone, and is also on the Beijing Subway Olympic branch line, that will service travelers to the National Aquatics Center, among other destinations. If you would rather drive yourself, there is a large amount of parking space available in an underground parking lot beneath the venue, as well as in a separate parking lot to the north of the National Aquatics Center.

Besides its useful features, the National Aquatics Center is, let’s face it, just plain cool. It produces an instantly distinctive, modern look that also provides environmentally friendly perks. It seats 17,000 people, while using all of the latest technology to amaze each and every one of them. Have we mentioned that it looks cool? During the daytime, it will give a translucent blue shine, while at night it will provide glowing bubbles to impressed visitors.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, many stars will be born. With the National Aquatics Center, the people of Beijing already have a star in the making that will help this summer’s Olympic Games have a flavor all their own.

Although the 2008 Beijing Olympics will take place at many distinctive and groundbreaking venues, it’s hard to think of a more impressive structure than the home of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies- National Stadium.

Located on the Olympic Green, National Stadium provides seating for nearly 100,000 spectators, and is going to be home to some of the 2008 Beijing Olympics’ most important events. The National Stadium is memorable for its “Bird’s Nest” design, which gives it a distinctive and modern look. Also, the National Stadium has a number of amenities and features for visitors, including a shopping center as well as a remarkable “green area” on the outside of the stadium.

Among the important athletic events that will be presented at National Stadium are the always-popular and historic track and field events. The tradition of track and field at the Summer Olympics is a perfect match for the modern, yet majestic appeal of National Stadium.

It’s only appropriate that Beijing’s National Stadium, the site of great competition, was itself born of the same competitive mentality. In 2002, a design competition was won by Herzog & de Meuron, award winning architects who had an early vision that closely matches what we see in Beijing today.

In March of 2004, construction began, although for a brief time that year, construction stopped due to worries of high costs. In the end, the stadium was completed successfully and on time, and now, National Stadium is poised to house some of the most important and closely watched moments of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Along with many other venues of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, National Stadium is environmentally friendly. The stadium is equipped with over 1100 solar panels that will help defer energy costs and coal usage, eventually projected to save over 900 tons of coal over their 25-year lifespan. A glass curtain of sorts also helps National Stadium conserve energy, by limiting heat transfer and providing conditions for more energy efficient lighting.

Completed at a cost of over 500 million dollars, the amazing National Stadium required over 22 miles of steel, but according to many in the architectural world, it was all well worth it. Many have singled out the National Stadium for praise due to its swooping, looping design and its immediate distinctive appeal. One of the most amazing aspects of National Stadium is that it combines remarkable function with impeccable design in a way that is virtually unrivaled by venues of its type.

As mentioned earlier, National Stadium will host some of the most incredible moments of the entire 2008 Beijing Olympics. The always popular Olympic soccer tournament will be decided on the grounds of the stadium, as will track and field and other athletic events. Most importantly, the tradition and pageantry of the Opening Ceremonies (as well as the Closing Ceremonies) will take place at National Stadium. It’s only fitting that the 2008 Beijing Olympics should begin and end at such a marvelous venue.

An amazing amount of hard work, brilliant and creative design, and planning has gone into the construction of National Stadium. The effort that has been put into the construction of this architectural wonder may even match that of the athletes who are striving to compete inside its walls this summer.

During each edition of the Olympic Summer Games, much of the attention goes to competitors in sports like gymnastics, and rightfully so. The sport of gymnastics in many ways represents the pinnacle of athleticism, grace, and hard work, the combination of which represents the ideal of the Olympic athlete as a whole. Therefore, it’s only appropriate that at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, gymnastic events (along with select other events) will take place at a venue worthy of their rich history and tradition- Beijing’s National Indoor Stadium.

The National Indoor Stadium immediately catches your eye with its strikingly-curved roof and modernly sleek look. Beijing’s National Indoor Stadium, while still relatively newly constructed, has already been called a marvel and an architectural triumph by many. Along with gymnastics, events such as handball will be hosted at the National Indoor Stadium.

The stadium itself can be found in the Olympic Green, to the couth of the National Convention Center, and not far from National Stadium. The National Indoor Stadium contains a full warm-up gym in addition to the main competition area, and in total, takes up a space of over 81,000 square meters. This space allows the stadium to contain over 18,000 gymnastics fans.

Perhaps the best thing of all about the impressive structure is that it has been designed to be environmentally friendly. National Indoor Stadium will take advantage of solar energy as much as possible, leading to conservation of coal and reduced pollution as a result. Glass curtain walls will help to insulate the stadium, reducing loss of heat from the venue. Over 100 kilowatts of electricity can be produced by the stadium each day, amazingly enough.

The marvelously efficient form of National Indoor Stadium will be matched only by the grace and ability of the athletes that will compete inside of it during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

With each installment of the Summer Olympic Games captivating the entire world’s attention, it’s important to consider that there will be a remarkable amount of visitors to Beijing, all who will need convenient transportation, or even parking, to access National Indoor Stadium and the historic events that will take place there. Luckily, National Indoor Stadium, along with the other venues on the Olympic Green, is easily accessible through public transportation, and even has available parking for those who would rather transport themselves to the day’s events.

The people of Beijing, like the hosts of Olympic Games in the past, have a great deal of pride in their city and country. Venues like the National Indoor Stadium serve to make an impression on sports fans the world over, while presenting the beauty and the culture of the people who host the Olympic Games. For the city of Beijing, National Stadium is not just a venue for competition, but a symbol of their very culture, from its impressive visual appeal to its environmentally friendly features.

It’s worth noting, then, that with the National Indoor Stadium, the people of Beijing have a structure worthy of both their own culture and the incredible competitors who will be lucky enough to perform within its walls. With inspirational athletes like those that will comprise this year’s Olympic Games, and the awe-inspiring venues that have been designed for them to compete in, this year’s Summer Olympics in Beijing are bound to be memorable.