by Brian Libby

In the last decade, the world has seen an unprecedented boom in the construction of sports stadiums. Among the new ones is the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzou, China, which will help host the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

Like much of the new stadium architecture, the Guangdong Stadium strives for innovation. After designing numerous sports venues around the world, including Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, the Kansas City, Missouri office of Ellerbe Becket, has recently completed this stadium in a collaboration with Oklahoma City firm Nixon & Nixon as the project architect and the Research Institute of South China University of Technology as the architect of record.

With a seating capacity of 80,000, Guangdong Olympic Stadium is the centerpiece of a 10-million-square-foot (930,000-square-meter) complex that will include a hotel and surrounding athletic facilities.

In addition to track-and-field events, Guangdong Stadium will play host to football (soccer), concerts, and exhibitions. The stadium has modern revenue-generating features such as a 108,000-square-foot (10,000-square-meter) retail space, an athletic club, food and beverage service, a 100-room hotel, and 100 private suites.   >>>

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The Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzou, China by Ellerbe Becket. View of the northwest end, with the hotel entrance on the right. Photo: Xiao Min Au Stadium seating bowl looking toward the end zone area where the Olympic torch will reside. Photo: Xiao Min Au   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.