Bird's Nest - Beijing National Stadium

Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "Bird's Nest" due to its architecture, hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics. Completed in March 2008, it was built from a lattice of interwoven metal that seems to be arranged in a random pattern.


The stadium can seat as many as 91,000 spectators during the Olympics. The capacity will then be reduced to 80,000 after the Olympics. The stadium is 330 meters (1,082 ft) long by 220 meters (721 ft) wide, and is 69.2 meters (227 ft) tall. It uses 258,000 square meters (2,777,112 square feet) of space and has a usable area of 204,000 square meters (2,195,856 square feet). It was built with 36 km of unwrapped steel, with a combined weight of 45,000 tonnes. The stadium will cost up to 423 million USD.


Source: wikipedia.org

Future's 9 Most Unique Structures

Below are 9 strange and unique structures which have either been approved or are in the final stages of approval. Some have already been partially constructed.


1. Aqua , USA
From a distance this skyscraper, to be completed in 2009 in Chicago , will seem quite traditional. It’ll only be when you get close and look up that you can appreciate the ripple/jelly effect created by variously sized balconies from top to bottom.

2. Chicago spire, USA
The phenomenal Chicago spire, when completed in 2010, will be the world's tallest residential building and the tallest building of any kind in the western world. Seemingly modeled on the image of a giant drill poking through the ground, the 609m structure will dominate the Chicago skyline.

3. CCTV headquarters, China
At a modest 234m the CCTV building isn't going to stand out from a distance. However the design and shape is a crowd stopper to say the least and will be another incredible addition to Beijing 's skyline in time for the 2008 Olympics. The shape, described as a 'z criss-cross' results in a very high, seemingly unsupported corner at the front. Let’s hope there's a glass floor up there.

4. Regatta hotel, Jakarta
Taking on a nautical theme, the developers say the 10 smaller towers represent sailing boats whilst the larger building is 'the lighthouse'. It’s the lighthouse that steals the show for me, possibly the most incredible looking structure I've seen for a long time. If it ends up looking anything close to these pictures I'll be impressed.

5. Residence Antilia , India (architects' website)
Construction has begun on residence Antilia despite opposition from those who see it as an 'excessive' design in a city where more than 65% of the population live in slums. politics aside and after you recover from the initial shock of seeing a skyscraper that resembles an Ikea CD rack, the building actually looks like it may succeed as a stunning, unique, green piece of architecture.

6. Russia tower, Russia
Topped with an observation deck over the city of Moscow , Russia tower will become the tallest building in Europe when completed in 2012 and twice the height of the Eiffel tower. Construction has already started on this angular beast which was designed by foster & partners, also responsible for the gherkin and spaceport America, currently in development.

7. Penang global city centre, Malaysia
Following months of speculation and sturdy opposition, this humungous project is in the final stages of approval and apparently construction will start very soon. Even so, due to the size of the plan it will take at least 15 years to complete. Resembling a sci-fi city, the area will be crowned by 2 x 200m towers and completely transform the small island of Penang .

8. Gazprom headquarters, Russia (architects' website)
This gigantic, 300m tall glass flame of a building will house the Gazprom headquarters in St. Petersburg , dwarfing all structures in its vicinity. It will apparently change color up to 10 times per day depending on the position of the sun. The building has already been nicknamed 'corn on the cob' by unhappy locals.

9. Burj Dubai, Dubai
This is the big one. When completed next year it will be the tallest man-made structure in the world and the tallest building by a long shot with a predicted height of 818m. Note: currently the tallest building on earth, excluding an antenna, is Taipei 101 in Taiwan which stands at 509m.

Largest Swimming Pool

If you like doing laps in the swimming pool, you might want to stock up on the energy drinks before diving in to this one.It is more than 1,000 yards long, covers 20 acres, had a 115ft deep end and holds 66 million gallons of water.
Guinness Book of Records named the vast pool beside the sea in Chile as the biggest in the world.But if you fancy splashing out on one of your own - and you have the space to accommodate it - then beware: This one took five years to build, cost nearly 1billion and the annual maintenance bill will be 2million.
The man-made saltwater lagoon has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, on Chile 's southern coast, since it opened last month.Its turquoise waters are so crystal clear that you can see the bottom even in the deep end.It dwarfs the world's second biggest pool, the Orthlieb - nicknamed the Big Splash - in Morocco, which is a mere 150 yards long and 100 yards wide.

An Olympic-size pool measures some 50 yards by 25 yards.Chile's monster pool uses a computer- controlled suction and filtration system to keep fresh seawater in permanent circulation, drawing it in from the ocean at one end and pumping it out at the other.The sun warms the water to 26c, nine degrees warmer than the adjoining sea.
Chilean biochemist Fernando Fischmann, whose Crystal Lagoons Corporation designed the pool, said advanced engineering meant his company could build 'an impressive artificial paradise' even in inhospitable areas.

Burj Dubai - World's Tallest Building

"The goal of Burj Dubai is not simply to be world's highest building. It's to embody the world's highest aspirations.", says the makers of this skyscraper.

It will offer corporate offices, residential apartments, four lavish swimming pools, cigar club, observation deck, lounge, gym, library and several other amenities.

Figures:
Total budget: USD 4.1 billion
Groundbreaking : Sept. 21, 2004
Estimated completion: 2009
Height: 818 m (2684 ft)
Floor count: more than 160 (habitable)
Floor area: 334, 000 sq. m