The National Stadium in Beijing – nicknamed ‘the birds nest’ – by Herzog & de Meuron, with the China Architectural Design and research Group, Arup Sport and Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong, and artist Ai Wei Wei, has scooped the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) prestigious Lubetkin Prize for the most outstanding work of architecture outside the European Union by an RIBA member.

Speaking about the building, the Lubetkin Prize judge and RIBA President, Sunand Prasad said: ‘This year’s shortlist for the Lubetkin Prize was easily the best we have seen, and although the discussion was intense, the result was clear. The National Stadium in Beijing will for a long time to come, and around the world, remain amongst the most memorable emblems of 2008 and of the resurgence of China as a global power. For a single work of architecture to hold such a charge is extremely rare, and at the same time to flawlessly accommodate a very complex set of functions makes the feat still more extraordinary. We would like to thank our partner, UKTI and sponsor, Cosentino, for supporting this awards reception.’

The prize is named after the world-renowned architect Berthold Lubetkin (1901-1990). Lubetkin’s daughter Sasha presented the winning architects with a unique cast bronze plaque, based loosely on her father’s design for the Penguin Pool at London Zoo, commissioned by the RIBA and designed and made by the artist Petr Weigl.

Some information about the National Stadium, Beijing by Herzog & de Meuron:

‘The Stadium is located in the Olympic Green, the focal point for the Beijing Games. The building’s vast scale and dramatic form will create a new icon for China and the City of Beijing. The circular form of the Stadium represents Heaven, while the adjacent square form of the National Aquatics Centre, also design-engineered by Arup, is a reflection of the Chinese symbol for Earth.

Although the structural form of the Stadium is popularly described as a ‘bird’s nest’, the pattern was initially inspired by Chinese style ‘crazed’ pottery, typically found in Beijing markets, and the randomness of the natural world. Although seemingly arbitrary, the pattern abides by complex rules from which ArupSport was able to define the geometry. Without this, the Stadium would be impossible to build.

To reduce costs, the outside of the Stadium needed to have minimum surface area while also being able to contain the entire structure; therefore, ArupSport designed the seating bowl first and then the outside façade to wrap around it. The bowl is designed to optimise spectator sight lines and minimise distance between seats and the field where action takes place.

The Stadium is located in one of the world’s most seismic zones and therefore needs to withstand major earthquakes. ArupSport used advanced computer analysis to test the structure under earthquake of different intensity and direction.

The National Stadium is designed in such a way that the spectator will be left wondering which aspects of the structure are functional and which have been included for appearance alone. The Stadium combines a sense of chaos with one of order.’

Building Information:

Client: National Stadium Co Ltd
Arup Scope of Work: Full multidisciplinary service including sports architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical and public health engineering, acoustics, fire strategy, sports lighting and wind engineering
Seating Capacity: 91 000 including 11 000 temporary seats for the Games
Gross Floor Area: 254 600m2
Height: maximum 69.2m (266.4ft) above pitch level
Design Consortium: Arup, Herzog & De Meuron Architekten AG, China Architecture Design & Research Group
Completion Date: Early 2008

Lubetkin Prize – shortlist of six, alphabetical:

Bird’s Nest/ National Stadium // Beijing // China // Herzog & De Meuron with Arup

British High Commission // Colombo // Sri Lanka // Richard Murphy Architects

Capital Airport // Beijing // China // Foster + Partners

Museum for the Brandhorst Collection // Munich // Germany // Sauerbruch Hutton

Sean O’Casey Community Centre // East Wall // Dublin // Ireland // O’Donnell and Tuomey

Water Cube/ National Swimming Centre // Beijing // China // PTW with Arup

Some pictures of the Bird’s Nest are curtesy of Iwan Baan.