The Beijing National Stadium is a sports arena built in Beijing to prepare for the 2008 Olympics. Because of its characteristic appearance, it is also known as the Bird's Nest Stadium. The National Stadium will hold the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events.

The original design called for a completely-covered roof made out of the same interweaving steel belt material as the rest of the arena. But construction was temporarily halted in August 2004 while the designers Herzog and de Meuron reworked the design to cut rising costs. The final design is 22.3% smaller than the original, and the "bird's nest" outer covering has been reduced by 13%.Design Build Network: National Stadium, Beijing (2008)

1. Digital Beijing Building
2. The Water Cube
3. Beijing Airport Terminal Three

• Google News: Bird's Nest Stadium (The National Stadium Beijing)
• Shanghai Daily: "'Bird's Nest' Claims Two Lives" (January 29, 2008)
  • "During the construction of the 'Bird's Nest' there were two deaths, one in 2006 and one last year."
• Xinhua News: "'Bird's Nest' Tops Beijing Ranking of New Landmarks" (January 21, 2008)
• Azom: "Bayer to Supply Polyurethane Coating for China's Bird's Nest Stadium" (January 14, 2008)
• The Guardian: "Beijing's "Bird's Nest" Stadium to Open in April" (November 8, 2007)
• MSNBC: "Student Sends in Personal Account of Her Tour of the 'Bird's Nest'" (October 16, 2007)
• The Guardian: "Olympic Artist Attacks China's Pomp and Propaganda" (August 9, 2007)