NBBJ expresses sustainable hangzhou stadiums with organic lotus-petal elements

in the design of an olympic sports center for the chinese city of hangzhou, architecture firm NBBJ prioritizes environmental sustainability and public accessibility. comprising two sculptural stadiums, the world-class sporting venue is sited within one of the most prosperous cities in china that has tripled in size over the past decade. the team generates a design driven by efficiency and human experience with a focus on much-needed public space for urban recreation.

all images by shao feng, unless otherwise stated

the NBBJ-designed hangzhou olympic sports center introduces two sustainable, community-centric stadiums to the vibrant city. in 2018, an average two tons of CO2 were emitted for every ton of steel produced. with its iconic lotus-petal design, the venue makes use of two-thirds less steel than beijing’s national stadium, widely known as ‘the bird’s nest’. the sports center comprises an 80,000-seat olympic-sized main stadium alongside a 10,000-seat tennis court. in the development of the two stadiums, the team used generative parametric scripting to conserve resources, bring fans closer to the field, and allow the bowls to remain as open as possible to views of the quiantang river.

with the hangzhou olympic sports center, NBBJ seeks to offer an active destination for the community and fans before, during, and after games. flowing circulation throughout the site generates a seamless three-level pedestrian experience of above-grade platforms, ground-level garden pathways, and sunken courtyards that serve to unite the main stadium, tennis court, and retail spaces into china’s next-generation sports center. the radial plan of both the main stadium and the tennis court are formalized as an array of botanical elements which suggest an organic movement.

image by terrence zhang

image by terrence zhang

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project info:

project title: hangzhou olympic sports center

architecture: NBBJ

client: city of hangzhou

built area: 400,000 square meters

location: hangzhou, china