Beijing Decides on 2008 Olympic Venue Construction Plan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 29, 2002

Beijing Decides on 2008 Olympic Venue Construction Plan

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"An axis of human civilization", a construction plan jointly worked out by US company Sasaki and Chinese design company Tianjin Huahui, which won the top prize in the design competition for the Beijing Olympic Games, has been finalized as blueprint of Olympic Green, the biggest construction in Beijing for the 2008 Games.

Plan for another venue, the Wukesong Culture and Sports Center, is now under discussing, as is known from the Beijing Urban Planning Committee.

A "thousand-year path" at a length of 2.3km is planned along the top of north extended line of Beijing's central axis, ended with mountains and water, with sports facilitates on both sides. On the path will be placed symbols of all Chinese historical periods. The lake at the north tip forms a giant water dragon together with the Olympic canal east of the axis, and corresponds with Zhongnanhai and Shishahai, waters west of the central axis of ancient Beijing city.

An oblique axis was also added to link up a string of national sports facilities, which intersects with the central axis and runs to Mt. Yanshan, and therefore enriched the design, according to Huang Yan, vice-director of the Committee. The plan won prize because it can meet the demand of both Olympic Games and the long-term development of the city. It is also suitable for period construction, Huang added.

The plan didn't put high buildings on the central axis, which invited different views from experts. Peng Peigen, Canadian--nationality professor with the Qinghua University, said the traditional central axis of Beijing is a real one with large buildings on it, such as the Tiananmen Tower, the Forbidden City and the Drum Tower. A virtual axis without any buildings doesn't comply with the designing style of Chinese cities. Without any landmark buildings we can not feel extension of the line, just like a railway line without stations. If we mount the Drum Tower and look into the north, we can not even find the central axis.

Singaporean designer Liu Taige, who is also member of the judging panel of the design competition, said the central axis is essential to Beijing, on which now we can not decide to put what kind of building. We would rather leave the question to talents of later generations.

Of courses, the plan needs to be further improved, such as on transportation facilities, says Huang Yan, who considers some supportive facilities for touring. Besides, some cultural facilities would be added, such as the planned China Science and Technology Museum, which needs adjustments on the plan so as to leave more room for cultural undertakings.

By PD Online Staff Li Heng

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