The Beijing University of Technology (BJUT) Gymnasium is the only Olympic venue located on the southeastern campus. It serves as the Badminton and Rhythmic Gymnastics venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. The construction of the venue started in June , 2006 and completed in August, 2008. With a building area of 24,383 sqm, the BJUT Gymnasium has seating capacity for 7,508, including 5,767 permanent seats and 1,741 temporary seats. The gymnasium includes a competition hall and a warm-up hall.
A world record in suspension dome structures.
The BJUT Gymnasium boasts the world's largest prestressed suspension dome ceiling 93 m in diameter. Also, the steel used in producing the structure weighs less than 1,200 tons, averaging 60 kg per sq m.
Advanced ventilation and air conditioning system
Both badminton and rhythmic gymnastics have strict requirements for wind speed during competition. Particularly for badminton, the International Badminton Federation's (IBF) standard is a constant room temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, with the wind speed no higher than 0.2 m/s. The BJUT Gymnasium can do better than that: it can match the IBF wind speed standard and also keep the room temperature constant at 25 degrees Celsius. The secret lies in the spectator seats. Underneath every other seat, there are three vents 13cm in diameter – a total of 9,100 vents are located throughout the gymnasium.
Environmental-friendly venue
A number of energy-saving and environmental-friendly methods are used at the BJUT Gymnasium, such as rainwater recycling, ground-source heating in the winter, and a water-source heat pump for cooling in the summer, etc.
The Badminton Competition will be held from 9th ~17th August, and the Gymnastics Competition will be held from 21st to 24th August. 2008.
After the Olympic Games, the gymnasium will serve as a training base for the national badminton team and also as a sports & recreational center for BJUT faculties and local communities.
