The 91,000-seater National Olympic Stadium, or the "Bird's Nest" as it is better known, is the architectural centre-piece of the 2008 Games. The stadium's massive external shell is made with 45,000 tonnes of steel columns twisted and welded into a mind-boggling latticework that recalls the look of a giant bird's nest. During the Games, it hosted the crucial opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the track-and-field events. The decision to build the Bird's Nest was a controversial one. Some praised the government's sophistication and boldness, while others see the stadium as yet another example of foreign architects destroying the Beijing skyline with buildings out of sync with the ancient city.

		THE WATER CUBE		CCTV'S NEW HQ

THE NATIONAL THEATRE

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