Beijing olympic green tennis centre

The new Olympic Tennis Centre is peripherally located on the gently sloping western edge of Forest Park, the vast new landscape that visually terminates the axis of the main Olympic site. The Tennis Centre is ordered by a linear sequence of four giant platforms that step up against the slope from west to east. The sequence of raised podiums allows the forest to permeate incisively from south to north, and to establish promontories to enjoy the panoramic view across Forest Park back to the National Stadium. These heroically scaled platforms organise the 17,400 capacity venue into a series of programmatic clusters commencing with the landscaped entry court and 2000 seat number two court, followed by the second platform of intermediate height which accommodates eight match courts. The third and highest platform contains the 10,000 seat centre court and 4,000 seat number one court and features recessed landscaped courtyards that provide daylight and ventilation to the facilities below. The fourth platform holds the six practices courts and allows direct access for players' to their facilities. The platform's edges are defined by horizontal bands of concrete that act as deep beams to provide large openings for the varying points of entry to the accommodation below. The venue is clearly organised and memorable as well as having a symbolic and important centre court as the climax of the architectural composition. The Centre Court demonstrates a direct and elegant tectonic solution composed in twelve segments, with a concentric upper seating bowl cantilevering out from the lower bowl that is recessed into the platform. The raking surfaces of the bowl fold into a dramatically cantilevering roof structure that shades two thirds of the seats. At night the raking surfaces are back lit providing an important effect for night games - a giant lantern hovering of the platforms that rise through the forest canopy. The Centre Court Stadium incorporates twelve tapered openings to the upper bowl and roof; a innovative strategy introduced to provide significant improvement to environmental amenity and enjoyment for players and spectators. The openings provide visual relief from the intense focus of the bowl, permit distant views of Forest Park and Olympic Green, and allow for engagement of spectators with those outside. As the major tournaments are often held during the extreme conditions of summers peak, the openings allow the release of heat that collects in the upper bowl and the inducement of a slow cyclonic air flow to increase vertical air movement to assist with the reduction of court level temperatures. Other aspects of the projects sustainability involve its extensive water/sewerage re-cycling systems and utilisation of solar heating. From a rigorous analysis of context, programme and amenity, the Tennis Centre has arisen as an ensemble of components responding specifically to their circumstance. The architecture is not derivative from cultural or metaphoric associations. The formal distinction of the architecture is achieved within the expressive potential of its components articulated with a precise and efficient purpose attuned to the local context both landscape and culture