Beijing's major Olympic project, the National Aquatics Center saw the first pneumatic cushion installed on its wall on August 1.

 

As a result of modern design, the Olympic venue for swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming competitions in 2008, will be covered by a membrane structure made of advanced material called ETFE, or ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene.

 

The National Aquatics Center, dubbed the "Water Cube", comprises over 100,000sqm of ETFE foils, making this the single largest ETFE structure in the world to date.

 

The whole membrane structure needs more than 3,000 pneumatic cushions, with different sizes from 9sqm to less than 1sqm a piece. And the first of its kind can be seen physically from the southwest corner of the building's wall now. The triangular "pillow" in nattier blue is in contrast to the white color of the steel structures nearby.

 

According to the schedule, the gas loading process will be started in two weeks, when the "flat bubbles" will look well-stacked.

 

The Water Cube's membrane coat will be interspersed with innumerable bright white points called cladding dots, which can divert the excessive sunlight while maintaining elegancy and transparency of the water sport facility.

 

(BOCOG August 4, 2006)