How state-of-the-art is the Qi Zhong Stadium?!

[Rafa's boy]

http://www.masters-cup.com/en/news/2005/stadium_index.asp
http://www.masters-cup.com/en/news/2005/stadium_progress.asp

It gives a real honor for players to play there combined with the Shanghai atmosphere. That stadium looks so dream like, giving those players who qualify what they have earned.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

looks great.

however:
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many cutting edge technologies including those used to operate the eight-piece steel magnolia roof, which will take eight minutes to completely open or close.
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reminds me of the technological and financial problems we faced in Montreal with the retractable Olympic stadium.

 

[raftermania]

Yes, but this roof is made out of metal. Olympic stadium's roof was made of insulating foam

 

[VamosRafa]

And in any event, during the Masters, the roof will remain closed. But the whole thing looks absolutely amazing.

 

[fishuuuuu]

That's pretty clever of them. Now they can have some nationlistic pride!

 

[CoASH]

shanghai's buildings are now trying to be more modern than the previous

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Yes, but this roof is made out of metal. Olympic stadium's roof was made of insulating foam

No, it was mainly of kevlar:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/olympic_stadium.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stade_Olympique

but the problem was that it should have worked as a retractable and folding umbrella, not as a fixed structure changing its position.

No materials have been discovered to offer such flexibility long term. It worked for a while, but ...

 

[i.Radical]

I would hate to get stuck between two of those blades..

 

[West Coast Ace]

shanghai's buildings are now trying to be more modern than the previous

Actually the whole city of Shanghai is supposed to be China's monument to modern living. They put a Maglev (magnetic levitating) train in to take people from the airport to the center of the city - capable of speeds over 300 mph.

From the average temperatures I assumed the roof would be closed. Would be nice to see it in action.

Anyone else going?

 

[Phil]

Actually the whole city of Shanghai is supposed to be China's monument to modern living. They put a Maglev (magnetic levitating) train in to take people from the airport to the center of the city - capable of speeds over 300 mph.

From the average temperatures I assumed the roof would be closed. Would be nice to see it in action.

Anyone else going?

Shanghai is still third world, but getting "there". No matter how many glittering new skyscrapers are built, the attitudes are still that of a third world country. That won't change for awhile. People ride motorcycles and scooters on the sidewalk, spit all over the place, and the service at so-called good restaurants is normally abysmal. But, if you stay in the Sheraton or Westin, you won't see much of that in that neighborhood...