Water Cube Turns 9, Might Become an Ice Cube

This article originally appeared on January 19, 2017 (Thursday).

Throwback Thursday takes a look back into Beijing's past, using our nine-year-strong blog archives as the source for a glance at the weird and wonderful of yesteryear.

Glowing like the set piece from some futuristic sci-flick, Beijing's Water Cube (officially known as the National Aquatics Center) drew plenty of attention when it hosted the world's top swimmers for the 2008 Olympic Games. We took a peek inside the famously blue hued structure upon its opening, which was nine years ago this month. At the time the Beijinger blogger Simon Fowler wrote:

"Many a writer has rhapsodized about the exterior of the cube, which was designed by PTW Architects, but now was the moment for the world's media to experience the inside of the structure. Inside is as aesthetically pleasing as you would imagine, with masses of bright white walls, straight metallic edges and a bubble theme running throughout. The facilities are equally impressive, with the training pool, diving boards, and competition all matching the overall aesthetic of the building."

From there, the Cube became just as well known for the athletic feats that occurred in its pools as it was famous for its shiny blue exterior. Twenty-four world records were shattered there by various Olympic swimmers before the Games were through, one of the highlights being American star athlete Michael Phelps netting eight gold medals.

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Photos: PTW Architects, Morris Curling Club, Sanjose.metblogs.com, uschina.usc.edu, WSJ

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