This high tech building is to be the control and data centre of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
Notice how it bears resemblance to a circuit board or digital bar code? Well, it was intentional and has been named the Digital building, which pretty much reflects its digital design scheme and personifies the promise of the Beijing Municipal Government to present the Beijing Olympics or Digital Olympics as it is often referred as, with the highest technological content on offer by any Olympics in history.
The Digital Beijing Building is the obvious landmark building of Beijing 2008. Until the Olympics, which will commence in August, it is currently a virtual museum of the ‘Digital Olympics’ and an exhibition centre for digital manufactures.
It is located in the northern end of the central axis, neighbouring the core area of the Olympics Centre, the National Stadium and National Swimming Centre.
The Architects?
The design was the brainchild of a start-up Beijing based design studio, Studio Pei-Zhu founded by three Miami University graduates, Xiadu Liu, Yan Meng, and Hui Wang. Their design actually won the competition to design the Digital Beijing Building, were seven internationally renowned design construction firms participated.
I was recently in Beijing and have to tell that between this building and the nest stadium, Beijing will boast some pretty unique architecture. The bigger question will be weather or not the buildings will stand the test of time.