The 'Water Cube'

(BEIJING, Jan. 28) -- "Comfortable" is the first impression one gets when entering the National Aquatics Center (NAC). Both the humidity and temperature of the National Aquatics Center meet the needs of the spectators and the athletes.

As the competition venue for diving and swimming, the National Aquatics Center has strict requirements for temperature.

In order to create a comfortable environment and prevent problems during competition, the room temperature is strictly controlled depending on the different areas of the building. Within the competition area, since athletes only wear swimsuits, the temperature is controlled to between 25 and 26 degrees Celsius, which is favorable to athletes' performances. But for the spectators, this temperature might be too high. Therefore, the temperature in the spectator stands is controlled to 18 to 20 degrees, which is cozy enough for fans to enjoy the competition.

According to FINA (International Federation of Swimming), the measurement error of a 50-meter-long swimming pool should be limited to within 1 cm; otherwise, a record set by an athlete in the pool will not be accepted. In the National Aquatics Center, the possibility of measurement error was relatively high, as several hundred thousand tiles were used, and each tile was installed using concrete. Through strict control, however, the total measurement error of ten swimming lanes amounted to only 2 mm, which is among the lowest measurement errors for swimming pools in the world.

Moreover, error control was also important while building the diving platform. For a 10-meter-high platform, the measurement error should be within 10 cm. The error of the diving platforms of the "Water Cube" is controlled to within 2 cm, creating better conditions for athletes.