Beijing Olympic Swimming Centre

Responsible for detail scheme design to fire, hydraulics, storm water systems and waste water engineering. Detail documentation of the scheme of this Olympic project carried out later by Chinese Engineers duplicating the scheme design. An Arup project for PTW Architects, the design parameters for hydraulic services were for an 85% saving of water usage through reuse and rainwater catchments and recycling. This was achieved through an ingenious design application of waste treatment and aquifer storage. The outside façade including roof material of the building is designed with a translucent EFT cushion under continuous inflated pressure. The roof catchments and gutters were laid flat, and drainage was designed using 300 siphon roof outlets with a minimum length of gutter run lengths. If one outlet is blocked, there were four other outlets designed to take up extra drainage volumes. The siphon drainage system led runoff to underground energy dissipation pits. The existing water table was very high but also was very polluted. This caused the design for the roof water to be screen filtered, then stored in a lined underground aquifer filled with a sand and ‘Zeolite’ mix for use as a micro filtration material, to store water later to be recovered and reused by being pumped from a central infiltration well. The siphonic outlets were heated for de-icing in snow falls. Black water was drained direct to city sewer as part of client brief.

Grey water and swimming pool backwash is treated by a five stage bio reactor micro filtration unit including RO tertiary treatment and a chlorine residual to supply water features. Sludge from the bio reactor was pressed and caked to remove any moisture. The hot water supply was stored roof water after RO, ozone, chlorination tertiary treatment. The town potable supply was used only for drinking and pool makeup and for the fire protection system. The rainfall is stored from only a short unreliable wet season period, so town makeup supply was also available as backup in lengthy dry periods. All water in the ponds, fountains and waterfall features around the building is used for recycled water storage. The waterfall feature discharging from around and under the perimeter skirt of the “bubble” was to resemble a melting ice cube. The final result achieved an estimated reduction of 85% of demand from town supply.

The fire protection systems are modeled to comply with a fire engineered solution for evacuation and life safety. Fire hydrant system was designed along with fire hose reels, fire extinguishers as well as fire sprinklers under and behind the spectator stands. EWIS, smoke detectors, emergency lighting, and emergency evacuation signage was designed to assist in moving large amounts of people quickly. Although the roof and walls are constructed of EFT material, there is a low temperature melting property of the material. Smoke evacuation is carried out through the natural draught between the two roof layers of EFT facades. The pipe work and drainage from high level was diverted to drop to low level against an inside solid wall to overcome being seen through the translucent covering. This was a unique structural building concept in the world raising international attention for the design.

Architects: PTW Architects
Photos: Courtesy of PTW Architects & Connection Magazine