The 2008 Olympic Stadium was designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Ai Weiwei. Because of its shape of intertwined steel girders, the stadium is also called "bird's nest". The construction is easy to see from the outside. Inside, the steel mesh is clad so that the seats are covered. After the Olympics, it became the Chinese national stadium. The bird's nest is located in the north of Beijing, near the Olympic Sports Center subway station.
Other buildings by Herzog & de Meuron:
Allianz Arena Fünf Höfe Tate Modern Elbphilharmonie Museu Blau De Young Museum Vitra Haus St. Jakob Park Roche Towers Signal Boxes Museum der Kulturen Messehalle
Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren designed the 234 m high headquarters of the Chinese state television CCTV. The oblique double tower is connected at the top. The CCTV Headquarter was completed in 2009. It is one of the most distinctive structures in the city and a highlight of contemporary architecture in Beijing.
Other buildings by OMA Rem Koolhaas:
Timmerhuis De Rotterdam Kunsthal Rotterdam NL Botschaft Berlin Haagse Tramtunnel Nederlands Dance Theater
The "Televison Cultural Center" served as broadcasting center for foreign agencies during the 2008 Olympics. The 159 m high Tower was designed by Rem Koolhaas of OMA, just like the CCTV Building next to it. The building made it on the headlines, when the skyscraper cought fire by New Year fireworks in 2009. The building is reminiscent of the Chinese character "ren" for people.
The architect Zaha Hadid designed the futuristic building complex with 4 curved towers. In 2012 the "Galaxy Soho" office and shopping complex was completed. The four buildings look like round bastions of a space station, all of which are interconnected. When you walk under the buildings, you feel like you're on another planet or in a science fiction setting.
Buildings by Zaha Hadid:
Maxxi Rome City Life Milan Tour CMA Marseille 520 W / 28th St NYC Opera House Guangzhou Plan de Corones
The "Linked Hybrid" complex by Steven Holl is an apartment complex with 644 residential units, a hotel, a cinema, a kindergarten and a school. In terms of urban planning, Linked Hybrid works like a classic city block, but there are tall and low buildings. In the middle there is an inner courtyard, which is however well above street level. The 8 towers are connected to each other via glazed walkways in the upper part of the residential towers. Public areas such as the swimming pool and fitness center can be found at this "skybridge". Steven Holl describes the project as a three-dimensional public space. However, only the ground floor is open to everyone. You have to live in the building to access the levels above. There is a roof garden that can be used by all residents. The residential complex in the north of Beijing was completed in 2009.
Other buildings by Steven Holl:
The "Beijing National Aquatics Center" was built for the Olympic Games of 2008. It was designed by PTW Architects from Australia. The rectangular cube has a foil facade that is reminiscent of liquid. The substructure consists of a three-dimensional metal grid. In 2010 the "Water Cube" turned into a "Water Park".
The "Sanlitun Village" by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma was opened in 2008. The area in the Sanlitun nightlife district was not built over with a superstructure, but with many small buildings. There are alleys and squares between the buildings. Sanlitun Village imitates a grown inner city without fake historical architecture. The individual buildings all look different, but their function is rather monotonous because there are almost no apartments here. Open on all sides and closely connected to the city, a very urban space with colorful glass facades. One of the nicest shopping centers in Beijing with lots of restaurants and cafes but very clean and western. Anyone who knew the old Sanlitun misses the grown quarter with owner-managed bars, cheap karaoke sheds and pubs.
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