Footprint

Beijing National Aquatics Centre, the Water Cube

Last night Arup received the 40th annual MacRobert Award for engineering innovation for their Beijing Aquatic Centre which hosted swimming events at last summer’s Olympic Games.  The Arup team members sharing the £50,000 prize are: Project Director Tristram Carfrae, Structural Engineer Mark Arkinstall, Building Modeller Stuart Bull, Sustainability Energy and Facade Engineer Haico Schepers and Fire Engineer Marianne Foley.

Dr Geoff Robinson, Chairman of the MacRobert Award Judging Panel says, ‘The Water Cube was a stunning showpiece of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Its breathtaking architecture is matched by engineering innovations in fabrication, materials and environmental management, and a project schedule that many regarded as impossible. ‘

The team used virtual prototyping, which is changing Arup’s approach to new projects.  Each new building will no longer need to serve as its own prototype.  ’There is very little continuous learning in the building industry,’ says team leader Tristram Carfrae, ‘but virtual prototyping can change that, enabling us to achieve greater quality with less time and less money.’

The skin of the building consists of a polyhedral space frame  with over 3000 flattened ETFE cushions, which are monitored by computers to control the amount of solar gain passing through them.  The building captures 20% of incident solar energy, requires 90% less potable water than an equivalent structure and uses 55% less artificial lighting. See my technical feature in AJ 17.4.08.

Since the Olympics, the Water Cube has been operating as an integrated sports venue providing leisure, training and competition facilities. The five swimming pools - one complete with wave machine and rides - are used by local groups and schools.  We can only hope that London’s 2012 Aquatic Park will leave a similar legacy.

London’s Science Museum will be exhibiting all four MacRobert Award Finalists in a display in the Antenna science news gallery. ‘It’s fantastic that the engineering design of buildings is recognised as equal to that of aerospace, biomedics and other more glamorous or hi-tech industries! However, we all know that the built environment consumes far too much of the world’s resources, and the Water Cube goes some way to stop sustainable development from appearing oxymoronic,’ said Carfrae. The Arup team were presented with the prize by the Duke of Edinburgh.  Perhaps he can persuade his son of the merits of modern architecture.

Tristram Carfrae and Stuart Bull accept MacRobert Prize from the Duke of Edinburgh

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