Olympic Games

Venue-National Indoor Stadium

National Indoor Stadium

Last Updated: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | 1:32 PM ET

Bernice Chan CBC Sports

General view from outside of the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)Just north of the National Aquatic Center, or Water Cube, is the National Indoor Stadium. Its architecture doesn’t compete for attention with either the Water Cube or Bird’s Nest. Instead, the stadium is a simple, but elegant structure, with a giant undulating roof.

Olympic organizers have nicknamed it “the fan,” claiming its design looks like an unfurled Chinese folding fan, but it looks more like a wave than a cooling instrument.

The walls are described as a “glass curtain” that not only allows in sunlight, but also includes solar panels that absorb the sun’s rays and converts them into electricity. Designers say the panels can produce 100 kilowatts of power a day, apparently enough to light the stadium during the day. We’ll have to see how effective it is when it’s put into actual use.

The stadium will host the artistic gymnastics, trampoline and handball events. Inside seating for 18,000 surrounds the main competition area, while a warm-up gym is off to the side.

After the Games, the stadium will be used for sports competitions, cultural and entertainment purposes, and a multi-functional exercise centre for Beijing residents. Hope they don’t mind doing their daily workouts with the possibility of 18,000 people watching them in the stands.