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| Bird's Nest | |
|---|---|
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| Full name | National Stadium |
| Location | Beijing, China |
| Broke ground | 24 December 2003 |
| Opened | 28 June 2008 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction cost | US$423 million ($419 million in 2020 dollars ) |
| Architect | Herzog & de Meuron ArupSport China Architectural Design & Research Group Ai Weiwei (Artistic consultant) |
| Structural engineer | Arup |
| Capacity | 80,000 91,000 (2008 Olympics) |
| Tenants | |
| 2008 Summer Olympics Supercoppa Italiana (2009, 2011–12) 2015 World Championships in Athletics |
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Beijing National Stadium is a stadium in Beijing, China. It is officially called the National Stadium and also known as the Bird's Nest (鸟巢). The stadium was made for use during the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The stadium cost US$423 million. A shopping mall and a hotel are planned to be built. This will increase use of the stadium. There was trouble attracting events, football and otherwise, after the Olympics.
The eastern and western stands of Beijing National Stadium are higher than northern and southern stands. This is in order to improve sightlines. A 24-hour per day rainwater collector is near the stadium. After water is purified, it is used throughout and around the stadium. Pipes were placed under the playing surface to gather heat in the winter to warm the stadium and coldness in the summer to cool the stadium. The stadium's design originally could fit 100,000 people. 9,000 seats were removed from the design. Then 11,000 temporary seats were removed after the 2008 Olympics. Now the stadium can have 80,000 people.
The stadium hosted the 2009 Race of Champions. In July 2010, the stadium hosted a friendly football match between Premier League team Birmingham City and Beijing Guoan. In August 2011, the Bird's Nest hosted the Supercoppa Italiana. This was the stadium's second in three years.
The 2015 World Championships in Athletics will take place at the Beijing National Stadium.
Under construction in September 2007
Satellite image of the stadium
The Beijing National Stadium at night during the Summer Olympics
Interior view of the stadium
Architectural detail of the stadium's exterior
Beijing National Stadium at night
