"Lotus flowers" in harmony with the forest park
2008-05-08
    (BEIJING, Oct. 5) -- The three main courts at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre -- the main and the No. 1 and 2 courts -- have been built to resemble three lotus flowers from afar, with stands forming 12 sides and offwhite external walls made of dry concrete.
     Zheng Fang, chief architect of the project, said the concept was to create a highly open tennis center in the backdrop of the forest park with no excessive decorations on the external wall -- a strong expression of the harmony of architecture and nature.
     When the design was submitted, the International Tennis Federation considered the scheme to be an extension of the atmosphere and tradition of the tennis game and a highly professional tennis center, Zheng said.
     The main court, for the finals of the Olympic tennis events, is the largest "flower" among the three. During the Games, a maximum crowd of 10,000 will sit here to enjoy the sunshine and the exciting tennis matches. The court has 48 cast-in-place reinforced concrete cantilever beams propping the 12 petal-like stands. At 42 degrees, each beam is 17 meters long and weighs 62 tons.
Tennis Center: Thorough sewage treatment, energy-efficient heating and cooling
2008-05-08
    (BEIJING, October 4) -- Various advanced technologies including shading technology, insulation technology, solar energy applications and GHP system have been adopted in the construction of the Olympic Green Tennis Center to make it energy efficient.
Barrier-free passages all around the tennis center
2008-05-08
    BEIJING, October 4) -- The design of the passageways will bring about the idea of equality among all, and the audience, regardless of physical ability, can sit together and enjoy the game, said the designers of the Olympic Green Tennis Center.
    At the tennis center, there are three platforms of different heights escalating from the west to the east. The court for the preliminaries is located on the lowest platform, and the main and No. 1 courts on the highest platform.
Olympic Green Tennis Center benefits tennis players and fans
2008-05-08
    (BEIJING, Oct. 5) -- With the completion of the Olympic Green Tennis Center, the Olympic city now has a world-class tennis center not only for professional games and training, but also a platform for cultivating tennis culture among the general population, said an insider.
     The tennis movement has become more a way of life than a simple sport in the modern city, as it is considered by many as one of the symbols for fashion, dynamics and health. People love the sport not just because of the tough competitions, but moreover for the warmth and sunshine that comes with the sport.
Subways and shuttles help transportation to the tennis center
2008-05-08
    (BEIJING, Oct. 5) -- Beijing Subway Line 5 and 10 will get spectators to the Olympic Green Tennis Center during competitions.
     Located in the Olympic Green, the Olympic Green Tennis Center connects the Fifth Ring Road to the north, a bit of a distance from the downtown area.
     At present, there are four bus lines -- lines 510, 466, 419 and 328 - that stop by the venue. The north-south Subway Line 5 that will open on October 7 will become a key transportation mode for most spectators.