Which modern architecture has the highest technological content?
Water Cube.
The National Aquatics Center, commonly known as the "Water Cube", is the main water sports competition venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It is located in the Olympic Park. During the Olympics, it will be used for swimming, synchronized swimming and diving events. Construction costs is 1.02 billion yuan. The "Water Cube" is located in the Beijing Olympic Park, and is located on both sides of the northern end of the central axis of the city with the National Stadium, forming a relatively complete image of Beijing as a historical and cultural city. Although the National Aquatics Center is called the "Water Cube", it is actually not a cube, but a rectangular parallelepiped.
Membrane structure building is the most representative new building form in the 21st century, and has become one of the main forms of long-span space architecture. It integrates architecture, structural mechanics, fine chemicals, materials science and computer technology to create an iconic spatial structure form. It not only reflects the power and beauty of the structure, but also fully expresses the architect's vision and enjoys the great outdoors. Natural romantic space. In the architectural design of the 2008 Olympic Games, the application of membrane structures was perfectly reflected.
The "Water Cube" is the world's largest membrane structure project. The world's most advanced environmentally friendly and energy-saving ETFE (tetrafluoroethylene) membrane material is used around the building.
The overall building of the "Water Cube" is composed of more than 3,000 air pillows. The air pillows are of different sizes and shapes, covering an area of 100,000 square meters, which is the largest in the world. Except for the ground, the exterior adopts membrane structure. A successfully installed air pillow will be inflated into "bubbles" through the inflation pipeline installed on the steel frame in advance. The entire inflation process is intelligently monitored by a computer, and the "bubbles" are kept in the best condition according to the prevailing air pressure, lighting and other conditions.
This "bubble pack"-like membrane material has a self-cleaning function,
so that the surface of the membrane is basically free of dust. Even if it is dusty, natural precipitation will be enough to make it clean as new. In addition, the membrane material has good pressure resistance, so people can "play on a trampoline" on it without any problem, and "it won't be crushed even if it is put on a car normally." If the outer membrane ruptures, according to the emergency plan, the damaged outer membrane can be repaired or replaced with a new one within 8 hours. The crystal-clear coat of the "Water Cube" is dotted with countless white highlights, called plating points, which can change the direction of light and have the effect of heat insulation and light scattering.
The "Water Cube" is the world's largest membrane structure project. Except for the ground, the exterior uses a membrane structure - ETFE material. The blue surface is unexpectedly soft but very substantial. . Tan Xiaochun, general manager of the National Stadium Project Contracting, revealed that the lifespan of this material is more than 20 years, but it will actually be longer than this. People can walk on it and it feels great. Only three companies in the world can complete this membrane structure.
“Considering the energy-saving standards of the venue, the membrane structure has a strong heat insulation function; in addition, it is very convenient to repair this structure. For example, after a gun or sharp object is poked into it, the monitoring computer It will show up automatically. If a hole is broken, just stick it with a sticker; the membrane structure is also very light and has good self-cleaning properties. Dust will not stick to it easily and can be absorbed by rainwater. "Drainage." Tan Xiaochun said that the membrane structure itself has the functions of drainage and sewage, as well as dehumidification and anti-fog functions, especially the anti-condensation function, which is especially important for swimming.
In addition, the "Water Cube" covers an area of 7.8 hectares, but does not use a single steel bar or concrete. Its walls and ceiling are connected by thin steel pipes, with 12,000 nodes. The membrane structure air pillows, which are only 2.4 mm thick, cover the entire building like a skin. The largest air pillow is about 9 square meters, and the smallest one is less than 1 square meter. Compared with glass, it can let in more sunlight and air, allowing the swimming pool to maintain a constant temperature and save 30% of electricity.
Technological research
Zheng Fang, the designer of the "Water Cube" and the chief architect of China Construction International (Shenzhen) Design Consulting Co., Ltd., told reporters that based on the original features of the "Water Cube" design plan , identified three major scientific and technological research topics, namely key technologies for indoor acoustic environment systems, key technologies for steel structures, and key technologies for ETFE membrane structure assembly systems.
While solving a series of scientific and technological problems, the scientific research of the "Water Cube" has to a large extent filled the technical gaps in the field of construction science and technology at home and abroad, and has effectively promoted the industrialization of science and technology and foreign projects. The process of localization of technology.
LED landscape lighting, steel structure safety and health monitoring, large space acoustic effect control based on ETFE membrane, heat recovery air conditioning technology, dedicated power supply HEPS system for high-intensity gas discharge lamps for site lighting, intelligent life-saving system, intelligent emergency response Lighting control system, intelligent fire protection system...the beautiful "Water Cube" contains countless scientific and technological Olympic contents.
External materials
The "Water Cube" is not only a beautiful and complex building, it can also inspire people's inspiration and enthusiasm, enrich people's lives, and provide people with memories. carrier. Therefore, the design not only utilizes the decorative effect of water, but also exploits its unique microstructure.
The ETFE film (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene polymer) wrapped in the inner and outer layers of the entire building is a lightweight new material with effective thermal properties and light transmittance, which can adjust the indoor environment, maintain heat in winter, and dissipate heat in summer. , and also prevent the building structure from being eroded by the internal environment of the swimming center. What’s even more amazing is that if there is a hole in the ETFE membrane, you don’t need to replace it. You only need to put a patch on it, and it will heal on its own and return to its original appearance after a while!
Membrane structures are used in buildings internationally. At that time, PTFE membrane was mostly used, which is a fiber material characterized by its opacity, but its use technology is relatively mature. The "Water Cube" uses ETFE film, which is a transparent film that can bring more natural light into the venue. There is almost no theoretical research on this kind of thin film structure in China.
The Allianz Stadium in Munich, one of the main venues of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, also used ETFE air pillow exterior walls, but compared with the Water Cube, the difference between the two is that the air pillows at the Allianz Stadium in Germany The coverage area is 60,000 square meters, while the Water Cube reaches 100,000 square meters; the Allianz Stadium has a single-layer air pillow and is arranged regularly, while the Water Cube has a double-layer air pillow, and there are almost no two of the same shape. Air pillow.
According to the design plan, the inner and outer facade membrane structures of the Water Cube are composed of 3,065 air pillows (the smallest is 1-2 square meters, the largest reaches 70 square meters), covering an area of 100,000 square meters. Square meters, with an expanded area of 260,000 square meters, it is the largest membrane structure project in the world and the only large-scale public building that is fully enclosed by a membrane structure. Whether it is design, construction or use, it is a great challenge. It poses a very difficult topic for ETFE membrane materials, ventilation and air conditioning, fire prevention, sound, light, electricity control and other technologies.
New environmental protection
The swimming pool in the swimming center uses many innovative designs, such as the "Water Cube" rendering that introduces outdoor air to the surface of the pool water, and the end pool bank with holes , visual and sound signals, etc. There are also some high-tech equipment, such as optical devices that determine the relative positions of athletes, multi-angle three-dimensional image projection systems, etc. These devices will help the audience better watch the game.
Environmental protection is also fully considered in the design. In order to reduce the production of carbon dioxide, the use of electricity has been reduced in the design. Utilizes solar cells to provide electricity. Extensive use of new materials reduces air conditioning and lighting loads by 20%-30%. In addition, 80% of the water consumed by the swimming center will be collected from the roof and recycled, which can reduce dependence on water supply and reduce sewage discharged into the sewer. The system recycles waste heat, and the application of heat recovery refrigerators will save 600,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. There are also modern fire protection devices customized for the building, which save 74% compared with conventional facilities.
In terms of building energy conservation, the design of the "Water Cube" is also unique. Of the total construction area of 80,000 square meters in the "Water Cube", 30,000 square meters of roof will allow the rainwater collection rate to reach 100%, and the amount of rainwater is equivalent to the water consumption of 100 residents for a year; in light In terms of utilization, because the "Water Cube" uses special membrane materials and corresponding technologies, the venue can use natural light for 9.9 hours a day. Over the course of a year, the 80,000-square-meter "Water Cube" will save a lot of money. power resources.
Scientific research and innovation is a highlight in the architectural design of the "Water Cube". The special membrane materials, steel structures, and indoor environment design used in it are many blanks in the history of Olympic venue construction. Therefore, , scientific and technological innovation has become the highlight of the construction of the "Water Cube". Through the joint efforts of all parties involved in the construction, more than 10 scientific research projects have been approved by relevant national departments in the "Water Cube" project. In addition, the "Water Cube" "The construction also produced construction acceptance standards for similar projects.
Design details
The design of the "Water Cube" pays attention to details, fully considers the needs of athletes and Water Cube spectators, and embodies the three major goals of the Beijing Olympics: "Green Olympics, Science and Technology Olympics, and Humanistic Olympics" idea.
As a competition venue for the Olympic Games, the National Aquatics Center must first meet the competition needs during the Olympic Games. The design of the "Water Cube" will make athletes and spectators feel as comfortable as possible. And this comfort often comes from small details. The "Water Cube" has a diving pool, a competition pool, and a warm-up pool. There is not much difference between the water temperature of these pools and the temperature of the hall where they are located, which creates good conditions for athletes to perform stably.
In addition, the "Water Cube" also spent a lot of thought on the design of the ground. Since there is a certain distance between the competition pool and the warm-up pool, athletes often go back and forth barefoot between the two pools. "Water Cube" "The ground during this section has been specially and carefully treated. By then, "athletes will feel comfortable walking over it" and their feet will not feel cold.
Lightning protection design
The "Water Cube" is similar to the "Bird's Nest" in that it also adopts traditional lightning protection technology. The underground and foundation parts of the "Water Cube" are reinforced concrete structures, and the above-ground part is a steel grid. The steel structure and the steel bars in the reinforced concrete structure are connected by welding to form a cubic cage. On the roof, the inflatable pillows are embedded and fixed with channel-shaped steel members. The steel members are wide and thick and are welded to the steel grids on the four walls of the "Water Cube" to support the entire roof.
During thunderstorms, the role of these steel components is even more important. On the one hand, they serve as gutters to collect and remove rainwater from the roof; at the same time, they serve as air-termination devices, which lead lightning current to the "cage lightning protection net" in a timely manner to protect the safety of the entire building. This is a very ideal "cage lightning protection net", which completely relies on the materials in the building's own structure. There is no need to set up separate lightning rods, down conductors or grounding bodies. There are no protruding lightning rods or lightning protection strips on the roof. It is economical, beautiful and safe. reliable.
Seismic design
The "Water Cube" is a typical example of soft exterior and rigid interior. Only inflatable membranes can be seen on the outside, which seem to be weak. However, these membranes are supported by a solid steel structure. The spectator stands and indoor buildings inside are reinforced concrete structures. The walls and ceiling of the Water Cube are composed of a mesh of steel tubes connected by 12,000 load-bearing nodes, which evenly distribute the weight of the building, making it strong enough to withstand Beijing's strongest earthquakes. The underground part of the "Water Cube" is a reinforced concrete upper structure. When pouring the concrete, pre-embedded parts (the upper part is a steel block) are set up at the position of each steel rod. The steel columns of the steel structure are connected with these pre-cast parts. The embedded parts are firmly welded together, so that the above-ground steel structure and the underground reinforced concrete structure form a solid whole. It is precisely because of its superior structural form and good integrity that the "Water Cube" has an "excellent body" and has reached the earthquake intensity level 8 standard.
Jiansheng Design
This is the first time that the ETFE membrane air pillow [6-7] used in the National Aquatics Center has been used on a large scale in a large building at home and abroad. Accurate data on the acoustic performance of ETFE membrane air pillows. Therefore, at the beginning of the acoustic design of the National Swimming Center, the Institute of Architectural Acoustics and Interior Design of Tsinghua Tongheng Planning and Design Institute conducted a model test on the ETFE membrane air pillow and obtained detailed acoustic performance parameters of the ETFE membrane air pillow, which provided the basis for the National Swimming Center. The perfect solution to the indoor acoustic problems of the central competition hall provides a solid foundation. The proposed acoustic solution satisfactorily solved the acoustic problems of the National Aquatics Center. The actual measured data after completion showed that the on-site reverberation time of the competition hall was consistent with the computer simulation value and the design value, which also illustrates the importance of early model experimental testing. and the true validity of the test results.