National Centre for the Performing Arts
Inaugurated on December 2007, this structure houses an opera house and is primarily made of titanium. National Centre for the Performing Arts was designed by Paul Andreu, becoming one of the most must-see architectural wonders of the modern world. Known by locals as “the giant egg” this impressive near-cylindrical structure gives the impression of a full oval when reflected in the surrounding water. It hosts Opera, Theatre, and Music events in its respective halls. The best way to experience it is to attend a performance. Built for the 2008 Summer Olympics, the gleaming dome, which looks as if it’s floating on the lake, contains an opera house, concert hall, and theatre, all of which are accessed via a hallway underneath the water. Rather than being constructed in the woven, stylized fashion, it’s actually been stripped of adornment to show the beams underneath in a fully transparent style free of pomp.
National Centre for the Performing Arts officially the National Stadium and unofficially the “Bird’s Nest” was designed and built, especially for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. With the iconic nest-like outer shell made of steel, the sheer weight of the structure was a key issue for the construction team but the fact that it held up proves this to be an engineering marvel. The 2022 Summer Olympics and Paralympics are scheduled to be held here. Apart from that, the aesthetic stadium hosts several sporting and cultural events, with a plan to construct shopping and entertainment areas around it to attract visitors.
- Location: Beijing, China
