ArchWeek - Beijing Bird's Nest - Engineering

[Kevin Matthews]

Discussion related this ArchitectureWeek story:

[djswan]

How are the seats held up? It doesn't look like the actual "nest" looking part does much. What work does it do? Stairs and holding up some lights, there's got to be more. It appears to be just a regular stadium with the "nest" structure plopped over it. I'm sure the seating has to be doing some work, to buttress it, or...

Is this thing just shady cover? The Chineese wanted a retractable covered stadium. Obviously lots of work to build it, but so was the St. Luis Arch and if it's raining, might as well be at the arch.

If it's an art piece fine, so be it, but as a stadium it gets old every "moment". I haven't had a better tasting hot dog than at Coors Field, but haven't tasted one in Chicago.