The Los Angeles Times published an article on March 24th regarding the architecture styles in Beijing.
The dome of the new National Center for Performing Arts was designed by a French architect to emerge from a large reflecting pool like a pearl or a rising sun. It was intended to announce to the world that Beijing had arrived both as an economic and cultural center. Instead, the $360 million complex has been dubbed nothing grander than an egg plucked down into a pot of boiling water. Egg is not a flattering nickname in China - attached to such insults as ben dam (stupid egg) and huai dan (rotten egg).
The positioning of the dome in the middle of the pool is meant as a tribute to the ancient Chinese concept of round sky and square earth. But many traditionalists find the modernistic design a disruption to the feng shui, or harmony of Beijing.
Perhaps most troubling is the positioning of the entry-way, via a long staircase under the reflecting pool. You would need to run 820 feet from your seat to get out of the three theater complex in the event of an emergency.
Regarding the Swiss designed 100,000 seat Olympic stadium - it is known as "the bird's nest" for its elaborate webbing of steel beams. The stadium design uses as much steel as four stadiums.
Critics contend that neither of these designs would have been allowed under United States or Canadian building codes. European architects are doing things in China that they wouldn't dare do at home. The buildings have been described as outfits flaunted on runways; interesting to look at - but you wouldn't be caught wearing one in real life.
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