Beijing probes anti-quake capabilities of "Bird's Nest,"
18/6/2008 16:09
Following the Sichuan earthquake that claimed nearly 70,000 lives as
confirmed so far, Beijing authorities are probing the anti-earthquake
capabilities of major super-high buildings in the capital, including the
uniquely-shaped National Stadium and the leaning towers of the new headquarters
for China Central Television (CCTV).
Many super-high buildings with
innovative design and unique shape have been sprouting up in the city in recent
years. But "many were designed by foreign designers who came from non-quake
zones and lacked anti-quake design experience," said a Beijing Municipal
Construction Committee official today.
"Some architecture plans are quite
abnormal and beyond the existing design criteria," he said.
The committee
examined 58 super-high or complicated-style buildings with a total area of 6.2
million square meters earlier this month. The final assessment results have not
been released.
"It would ask developers to make changes if there were
quake-prevention risks," the committee said.
Buildings in downtown Beijing
and nearby suburbs were required to be able to resist an 8.0-magnitude
earthquake after the neighbouring Tangshan experienced a massive quake that
claimed more than 240,000 lives in 1976.
The National Stadium, nicknamed the
"Bird's Nest," is famous nationwide for its giant twig-like structure of metal
girders and bowl-shaped roof. Covering an area of 20.4 hectares, it can seat
91,000 spectators over three floors for the Olympics.
The stadium employs a
sophisticated structural design created by the China Architecture Design and
Research Group through a collaboration with the Swiss-based firm Jacques Herzog
and Pierre de Meuron.
The two conjoined CCTV towers, designed by Dutch
architect Rem Koolhaas, became known worldwide for their unique shape even while
under construction.
The towers, 234 meters and 194 meters high, respectively,
lean six degrees and form the main building for the the new complex that has a
floor space of 495,900 square meters.
Beijing will strictly carry out the
anti-quake probe on all the super-high buildings from now, the Beijing Municipal
Construction Committee said.
It also plans a comprehensive anti-quake probe
on all the structures in Beijing. It suggests that the local residents consider
quake prevention in house renovation and decoration.
All buildings must have
their quake prevention plan approved by the government before being erected, it
said.
Xinhua
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