| Workers' Stadium prepared to meet Olympic demands |
Outside view of Workers' Stadium
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(BEIJING, February 28) -- Recently, the renovation project for the Beijing Workers' Stadium was completed to meet the demands of the Olympic Games.
At the finish of its initial construction, in 1959, it was established as the "National Stadium," and was one of the main buildings in Beijing. The Stadium's reputation spread far and wide, as it was host to a number of international competitions, as well as opening and closing ceremonies for several major sports events. In the past half century, the Workers Stadium has witnessed first-hand the growth of China's sports industry
The Workers' Stadium covers a land area of 350,000 square meters. The entire oval-shaped stadium extends 282 meters from north to south and 208 meters from east to west, incorporating 24 sets of audience stands. Since April 18, 2006, the Workers' Stadium has undergone comprehensive transformation projects in order to get it ready for the Olympics in 2008. Now, the expanded stadium can accommodate 62,000 people and meets the technical standards for hosting football competitions.
According to a representative of the Architectural Design and Research Institute, the Beijing Workers' Stadium, prior to renovations, had a relatively low canopy and irrational distribution of lighting. In order to achieve the proper results, planners changed the four traditional light systems with six anti-glare light systems, also tweaking the angles of shine to eliminate shadows, meeting the technical needs of the stadium for the Olympic Games.
Strengthening the Structure
The Workers' Stadium's concrete structure is not up to par with Olympic standards. As such, reinforcing the building, especially the pillars, is top priority. Because the stadium has been around for almost 50 years, this project is highly complex. The degree of the transformation is immense, needing advanced technology to complete. Carbon fiber reinforcement technology was introduced to reinforce the existing structure, enabling the stadium to withstand seismic trembles. The renovation fully embodies the idea of a "High-tech Olympics."
Rotating Display Screen
In 1990, the Workers' Stadium was the main venue for the 11th Asian Games, also hosting the opening and closing ceremonies. The pedestal on which the torch stood to represent that historic competition stood for years thereafter to commemorate the event. With the renovations, the stand was torn down and replaced with a gigantic 120 square meter display screen, which can rotate a complete 180 degrees.
During the Games, the screen will face inwards, allowing for the over 60,000 fans inside the stadium to be able to clearly see competition broadcasts. After the Olympics, the screen can be turned to face the road outside, providing public announcement services, including commercials.
Energy Conservation a Top Priority
The windows of the Workers' Stadium have been replaced with energy saving devices. The new double-layer, insulated windows are more environmentally friendly than their old counterparts.
The Workers' Stadium has withstood half a century of all sorts of weather. Not surprisingly, water has infiltrated some parts of the stadium through the years. These current renovations have included steps to waterproof stadium stands,
Under the concept of a "Green Olympics," restrooms in the Workers' Stadium have been updated with energy saving technology, and numerous kinds of equipment have been replaced with newer versions that reduce energy consumption. Water systems, drainage systems, automatic sprinkler systems, and fire detection systems have all been updated.
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