[Chicago2016]

Wow
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/97/fullj.getty-73744593aw121_7_10_15_am.jpg
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/8e/fullj.getty-73744593aw120_7_10_03_am.jpg
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/19/fullj.getty-73744593aw116_6_34_43_am.jpg
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/cc/fullj.getty-73744593aw085_6_28_12_am.jpg

[Hardhatdan]

Holy F*ck that is cool!

[Alliance]

This building is awesome. It heats itself using solar energy. Great building.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

that rendering really makes me want to go jump in

[Aleks]

i saw this on the discovery channel they have some pretty neat projects like the nest soccer stadium the gient screen tv basketball arena
and this the bubble olympic pool
isnt there supposed to be a dike around it?!?!?
or is that the opera house?!?!
yeah its the opera house
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6md7g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/beijingopera.jpg
http://archiguide.free.fr/PH/CHI/Bei/BeijingGrandTheatreAn.jpg
http://www.ariasforhumanity.org/img/china_opera-theater.jpg
http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/06/15/international/15opera2.xl.jpg

[TheMeltyMan]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/97/fullj.getty-73744593aw121_7_10_15_am.jpg

What is that though? Plexiglass? The lighting could very easily get messy in that thing. Otherwise I like the idea, but no model could ever properly simulate how that thing is going to refract.

[skrish]

Wow, that's amazing.

[john_mclark]

i like how it looks like a pool its self

[M.K.]

AMAZING. That pool building with pools inside is too soft and relaxing. Great idea. :tup: :tup: :notacrook: :tup: :tup: :notacrook: :notacrook: :tup: :tup: :notacrook: :tup: :tup: :notacrook: :tup: :tup:

[AnotherPunter]

The building was engineered by ARUP. Their website (http://www.arup.com/australasia/landing.cfm?pageid=6043)has a ton of information on the science and engineering that went into the building.

On the safety issue, it goes into some detail. The material for the bubbles skin is ETFE. This is from the website (http://www.arup.com/australasia/feature.cfm?pageid=3778):

The Innovative Facade - ETFE
ETFE, the innovative material being used as the 'skin' of the Water Cube, is an amazing material with excellent insulation properties, however it is combustible.

As the Chinese Building Code does not allow for the use of combustible materials for façades, Arup Fire needed to address concerns about its performance in fire, the potential fire scenarios, and the consequences for safety. This allowed the development of appropriate criteria for material selection to provide an acceptable level of safety.

The greatest attribute of ETFE in fire is that is shrinks away from a fire, thus effectively ‘self-venting’ and letting smoke out of the building.

http://www.arup.com/_assets/_img/image1711.jpg

[NYguy]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/19/fullj.getty-73744593aw116_6_34_43_am.jpg

Almost looks like a giant sponge, but its aquatic in nature...

[zerokarma]

Its crazy

[urban_encounter]

Cool design....


Got to admire the fact that the Chinese are preparing to impress on a very grand scale..

[falcon2xp]

just one word wooowww!