Beijing Olympics Pool Information

When construction began in 2003, the Chinese set out to design the world's top swimming facility. Five years later, during the 2008 Summer Olympics, the world watched as 25 swimming world records fell. As a result, "The Water Cube" earned the designation of world's fastest pool. The Chinese accomplished this feat through technological advances in engineering and simple physics.

  1. Water Cube Facts

    • The National Aquatics Center, also known as "The Water Cube" features an 262,467-square-foot facility with seating for up to 11,000 spectators. The venue hosted swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. It officially opened in January 2008 and received its nickname as a result of its translucent and cubed exterior appearance. Although originally built for the Olympic Games, the facility remains open as a recreational venue to promote a healthy lifestyle among China's residents.

    Fastest Pool in the World

    • In 2008, the sport of swimming witnessed 25 world records fall at Beijing's Olympic pool. In addition to the natural progression of the sport's athletes through training techniques and nutrition, a large contributing factor was the science behind the pool. An advanced filtering system kept the water clean and free from much debris and hair. Many athletes claimed the water was clean enough to drink.

      Additionally, the pool dimensions were larger than most Olympic pools. Instead of 7 feet deep, Beijing's Olympic pool reached 10 feet in depth and also includes two more lanes that the traditional eight-lane pool. That means the water has more space to move away from swimmers and creates fewer waves. Also reducing the waves are lane dividers specifically designed to "eat" waves and prevent them from passing into other lanes. The combination of the larger, cleaner pool and advanced wave deterrents provides the swimmers with better conditions and thus faster times.

    Internal Conditions

    • One of the major concerns in designing "The Water Cube" involved Beijing's humid summers and cold winters. Keeping the pool conditions ideal without producing steam or dew challenged engineers to design a unique atmosphere within the facility. The first step featured an air-conditioning system that ran on recycled warm water near the pool area.

      Outdoor devices such as recycled air-conditioning systems and even solar-powered panels helped maintain a constant humidity within the facility. To address concerns of dew falling into the pool or on diving platforms, engineers installed a thermal layer of insulation around the shell of the facility and kept the area cool by intentionally forcing and diverting air conditioning vents. The result was a climate-controlled facility that provided comfort to both athletes and spectators.

    Post-Olympic Plans

    • In February 2010, The China Post reported that "The Water Cube" from the 2008 Olympics would convert to an indoor water park to open in July 2010. Immediately following the 2008 Beijing summer games, approximately 100,000 tourists visited the venue daily. However, dwindling interest over the course of 2009, prompted the owners of "The Water Cube" to transform the swimming arena into an indoor water park. The renovations likely will not eliminate the Olympic venue altogether, as the swimming pool and some spectator stands will be retained for future events and attractions.

    Engineering Innovation

    • The Water Cube design earned international recognition as an innovative engineering marvel. In 2004, it received the award for most accomplished work in the atmosphere section of Venice Biennale. Popular Science named the venue among the best of "what's new" in 2006. The Australian Institute of Project Management awarded the NSW "Project of the Year" in 2008. In 2009, it received the MacRobert Award, which represents the highest prize for engineering innovation from the United Kingdom.