NBBJ's Hangzhou Sports Center uses 67% less steel than Beijing's Bird's Nest

NBBJ's Hangzhou Sports Center, completed in 2019, anchors Qianjiang Century City in China with an 80,000-seat stadium designed to use significantly less steel than its counterparts. The lotus-flower-inspired structure uses 67% less steel than Herzog & de Meuron's Beijing National Stadium, achieved through parametric design and a structural system connecting the steel shell to the concrete bowl at every level. The complex includes a 10,000-seat tennis arena, plazas, retail, a cultural centre, and transit connections. NBBJ managing partner Robert Mankin stated the client wanted something powerful yet forward-looking, with a directive to 'make it lighter.' The stadium's tapered panels create multiple entrances, departing from rigid axial designs. Design partner Jonathan Ward noted the porous greenscaping helps manage runoff and reduce heat. The stadium remains China's second-largest by capacity.