Located in the centre of the Olympic Park, the National Stadium resembles a huge bird's nest made with intertwined twigs. While the bare polished steel makes no distinction between the facade and the structure, giving this venue a sense of novelty and power.

Walking into the stadium, you are overwhelmed by its spacious interior, holding 20,400 square meters. With a capacity of 100,000 people, the venue will host most of the track and field events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

Mounted on the edge of the Nest are translucent inflated cushions to diffuse the sunlight and provide the track with a mild and shadow-free light. The cushions are also waterproof, protecting spectators from rain.

The stands inside the stadium form the shape of a giant bowl. This design ensures that every spectator will have a clear sight distance of 140 meters from the center of the pitch. The seats are in Chinese red, which add a national characteristic to the modern venue.

After the Olympics, 20,000 temporary seats will be taken away and the stadium will be open to the public as a sports and entertainment center.