Wate Cube lit by blue lights

A security guard walks around the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube, which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19,2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5. [Agencies]

A labour works outside the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube,which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19, 2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5.

Two labours work outside the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube,which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19,2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5.

A worker walks outside the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube,which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19, 2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5.

A resident looks at the exterior of the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube,which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19, 2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5.


A resident looks at the exterior of the National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube,which is lit by blue lights at night in Beijing January 19, 2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5. [Agencies]
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Beijing unveils 'cool' Water Cube swimming venue for Olympics

BEIJING - The "Water Cube," one of the two iconic venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was unveiled on Monday.


National Aquatics Centre, also known as the Water Cube is seen in this picture taken in Beijing January 23, 2008. The centre, built for the Beijing Olympics, will host its first event - the "Good Luck Beijing" Swimming China Open - from January 31 to February 5. [Xinhua]

Known officially as the National Aquatics Center, the Water Cube has been dubbed the "cool" building of the Games. The building's design and its translucent, blue-toned outside skin make it look like a cube of bubbles - like "bubble wrap."

Forty-two gold medals will be handed out at the Water Cube during the Olympics, which start August 8.

It was the public's first look at the building after a little more than three years of construction.

The venue has 6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary seats. Like the 91,000-seat National Stadium - the "Bird's Nest," which will be completed in March - both are seen as works of art and will anchor the Olympic Green area.

The Water Cube has been built to be converted to a shopping area and leisure center with tennis courts, retail outlets, nightclubs and restaurants.

"This building was designed for use after the games," said John Pauline of PTW Architects, one of the lead architects on the Water Cube. "We were looking at 30 or 40 years from now."

The outside skin is made of a Teflon-like material, ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene). Composed of two layers, it's separated by an interior passage that allows the building to breathe like a greenhouse.

The Water Cube was built at a cost of more than US$200 million (euro136 million), with donations of US$110 million (euro75 million) from people in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Province.

There will be 37 venues for the Olympics. Beijing is the site of 31, 12 new, 11 renovated, and eight temporary structures. Most are located in four clusters in the north of the city. Five more venues for soccer and sailing are located outside Beijing, and equestrian events will be held in Hong Kong.

Organizers will stage a swim meet in the Water Cube on Friday to test the facilities.


Related entries:

Water Cube ready for test
Wate Cube lit by blue lights
Visiting Water Cube


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Cost of Olympic venues will be kept within $1.8b

The total cost of Beijing Olympic venues will be within 13 billion yuan ($1.8 billion), Chen Gang, vice-mayor of Beijing, said yesterday - giving an official figure for the first time.



"We always encouraged frugality in the build-up to the Games," Chen said while briefing the media on progress made in construction of Games venues.

The cost of the National Stadium will be within 3.5 billion yuan ($486 million), he added. The central and local governments have contributed half of the cost with the remainder coming from investors and donations.

With the National Aquatics Center being delivered for use yesterday, all venues in Beijing except for the National Stadium, dubbed the Bird's Nest, have been completed, Chen said.

Responding to media reports about the death of 10 workers at the construction site of the Bird's Nest, officials said the number is not accurate.

"During the building of the Bird's Nest, there were two deaths, one in 2006 and one last year. We investigated the accidents and properly compensated the families based on national standards. People who were responsible for the accidents have been punished," said Ding Zhenkuan, deputy chief of the Beijing municipal bureau of work safety.



The accidents were reported to relevant departments, he added.

Last week, Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported that at least 10 workers have died since the construction of the Bird's Nest started in 2003.

According to officials, construction of the 91,000-seat iconic venue, which will hold the opening and closing ceremonies and also serve as the main Games venue, is going smoothly and is scheduled to be completed in March.

For the Beijing Games, 31 venues are needed for competitions and 45 for training. Up to now, 22 have been tried in test events.

"Through the test events, all the venues have met the requirements of the respective international sports federations," said Xu Bo, director of Beijing 2008 Project Construction Headquarters Office.

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Premiers watch China's traditional performance in Vancouver

Provincial premiers watch as Chinese performers dance during a ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia January 28, 2008. The ceremony was to announce a pavilion to be built for the Beijing Summer Olympics promoting Canada and the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver.

British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell (C) watches a Chinese lion dance during an Olympic ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia January 28, 2008. The ceremony was to announce a pavilion to be built at the Beijing Summer Olympics to promote the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.


Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall (C) watches Chinese performers dance during a ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia January 28, 2008.

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Football for 2008 Beijing Olympics unveiled

Former president of the Football Association of China Nian Weisi introduces the official ball for the 2008 Beijing Olympics football match during its launching ceremony in Beijing January 26, 2008. Football designed for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was launched in Beijing on Sunday by adidas, an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Featuring Chinese characters 'China' written by Nian, the ball will be used in Olympic football preliminaries in Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao, and the Olympic finals in the Olympic City of Beijing, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. The Chinese characters on the ball read as "China".

An athlete holds the official ball for the 2008 Beijing Olympics football match during its launching ceremony in Beijing January 26, 2008. Football designed for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was launched in Beijing on Sunday by adidas, an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Featuring Chinese characters 'China' written by Former president of the Football Association of China Nian Weisi, the ball will be used in Olympic football preliminaries in Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao, and the Olympic finals in the Olympic City of Beijing, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. The Chinese characters on the ball read, "China".

The official ball for the 2008 Beijing Olympics football match is seen during its launching ceremony in Beijing January 26, 2008. Football designed for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was launched in Beijing on Sunday by adidas, an official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Featuring Chinese characters 'China' written by Former president of the Football Association of China Nian Weisi, the ball will be used in Olympic football preliminaries in Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao, and the Olympic finals in the Olympic City of Beijing, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. The Chinese characters on the ball read as "China".
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Construction of Olympic village completed

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games. [BOCOG]

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games.

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games.

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games.

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games.

Construction completed on January 25 for the Olympic Village, which is slated to serve the Beijing 2008 Summer Gamesfrom July 27 to August 27. The village will then be converted to serve the ensuing Paralympic Games.
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