The winning design for the Olympic Park for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games has been selected, but a Chinese woman designer says she can do better.
"The Olympic Games is a big event. The Olympic Park is not only a construction, but also a reflection of culture," said the 34-year-old designer, whose pen name is Maomaoyu.
Maomaoyu has been devoted to designing her own park since she saw the notice asking for designs for the Olympic Park on April 1 last year.
Although she was refused to take part in the competition as an individual designer, she still persists.
"Many people do not understand me," she said. "They think it is unbelievable for a woman designer to do such a huge design. But I'm confident."
Maomaoyu named her design Dragon Return Garden. She said: "The Olympic Park should show Chinese characteristics."
The dragon head design on the gate and the dragon-shaped railing in the garden are used to display traditional Chinese dragon culture.
The park model is surrounded by an image of the Great Wall woven from wool. The woodland in the park is in the shape of China's territory, featuring miniature buildings with architectural characteristics from different parts of China.
"The government is to invest heavily in the project, but according to my design, the construction cost can be covered by donations," she said.
There are many places in the park which can help collect money. The surrounding wall has many gates on both interior and exterior sides. "The naming rights of the gates can be given to donors," said the designer.
The ground on the two sides of the midline is inscribed with characters of different Chinese ethnic nationalities. In the center of the park are a history museum and a modern museum.
In her design, the park will be a tourism site, a museum and a leisure area.
"I hope more experts can see my design and I believe I can persuade them," she said firmly.