National Aquatic Centre

Venue: National Aquatics Center
Location: Olympic Green
Total land surface: 79,532 sq m
Seats: 6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary
Competitions: Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming
Groundbreaking date: December 24, 2003
Completion date: January 28, 2008

One of the dramatic venues of the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, the national Aquatic Centre will be hosting the swimming, synchronized swimming and diving events.

The National Aquatic Centre will be hosting the swimming, synchronized swimming competitions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. An architectural marvel of modern times, the National Aquatic Centre is popularly known as the Water Cube.


The National Aquatic Centre, Beijing was built by China Construction Design International, in partnership with PTW Architects of Australia. The total cost of the Water Cube was not made public though initially it was set at $ 100 million. Work on the National Swimming Centre, Beijing began on 24th December 2003 and was completed on 28th January 2008.

The Water Cube in Beijing has a capacity of 6,000 permanent seats and 11,000 temporary seats. It is located very close to the National Olympics Stadium, which is also known as ‘The Nest’, and is built over an area of 79,532 square meters. Made of concrete and steel, the National Aquatic Center in Beijing has a blue-toned outer skin made of a Teflon-like material called ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene or ETFE. This skin gives the effect of natural formation of soap bubbles. The inside of the stadium will also have the similar effect.

Swimming will be held from 9th-21st August, synchronized swimming from 18th-23rd August while diving will take place from 10th-23rd August at the National Aquatic Center of Beijing. A total of 44 events will take place during this period.

Once the 2008 Summer Olympics gets over, the Water Cube will be converted into a shopping center. Restaurants, nightclubs, tennis courts and a number of other activities will also come up.





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