With its filigree shell and twig-like structural elements, the Beijing National Stadium, which became so familiar to so many during the 2008 Olympic Games, really does resemble a giant bird’s nest.
One of the many unusual features of the design involved filling the spaces between the “twigs” with inflatable cushions to regulate the effects of wind and weather. The building has won environmental plaudits for incorporating a rainwater collection system and a translucent roof that permits sunlight to penetrate so that the grass beneath can flourish.