Article code: 44-008
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PanStadia International Quarterly Report: Volume 4 No 4, November 1997.


[CASE STUDY]


EAST MEETS WEST


Dynamic and efficient
Chinese management
and a joint East-West
engineering effort produces
a world class venue.



Since staging the East Asia Games in 1993, Shanghai has grown from strength to strength in providing excellent venue facilities for future events.

After the successful end to the 1993 Games, surplus funds were used to form a new company, East Asia Group of Companies. Involved in real estate and advertising, the company doubled in size in two years.

At around this time, the Shanghai local government won the bid to host the 8th National Games of the People's Republic of China, and began to press them for the finalisation of plans for a new stadium complex, the Shanghai Sports Centre. Without delay the East Asia Group of Companies set into action the machinery to deal with the project.

Management

A subsidiary company, Shanghai Stadium Company Limited, was formed with outline plans for financial and management autonomy from the government. SSCL would manage the entire project without any state subsidies, using profits from facilities within the complex for finance. The complex would house hotels, shops, clubs and recreational facilities providing resource to deal with operating costs. Uniquely, SSCL created the first independent management group for a public project, an indication of progressive reforms within central government for lesser intervention in local money matters.

Shanghai Sports Centre is the result of joint East-West design and engineering partnerships. The building work was begun in 1995 and reached completion in September 1997.

Located in a strategic position for local and international access just south of the Xu Jia Hui commercial district, the Centre covers an area of 190,000 square metres, with a total floor space of 150,000 square metres. The stadium, with its saddle-like architecture, is 300 metres in diameter with a tensioned membrane roofing system to provide maximum comfort and viewing for up to 80,000 spectators. State-of-the-art equipment, excellent services and unrivalled back-up provisions make the Shanghai Sports Centre China's largest stadium to date and on a par with other world class venues.

Co-operation

With projects of such complexity, uncompromising attention to detail is vital at every stage and was the case for this project. Consultations were held between the Chinese and their Western partners on design and methodologies, resolving problems at an early phase of the project. This excellent co-operation and equally proficient labour force have seen the completion of a major world project within budgets and ahead of schedule.

The 8th National Games of the People's Republic of China was held in spectacular style at the Shanghai Sports Centre in September 1997. This is surely a tribute to the magnificent joint efforts of the peoples of China and the West.


Captions to pictures:

Shanghai Sports Centre and Stadium.

The P.L.A. were given the task of laying the Terraplas for the Opening Ceremony.

The Terraplas turf protection system is put through its paces with the patter of thousands of tiny and not-so-tiny feet during the opening ceremony.

The growth of the Shanghai Sports Centre, stage by stage.

CAD model of the sports centre.

Right: The Shanghai Sports Centre site has a full complement of facilities, including swimming pool, an additional track and football pitch, a stimulants test centre and a news service centre, where video footage of the events can be stored and sent, via satellite, anywhere in the world.

The centre itself has covered seating for 80,000 spectators, an evergreen football pitch ringed by nine plastic tracks, a 300 square metre colour video display and high precision sports timing equipment from Scan-o-Vision and Photofinish.

Left and right: Between the tiers of stands, there are over a hundred hospitality boxes available. The interiors have been designed in a variety of styles to suit differing tastes. They have private elevators and walkways, air-conditioning, rest-room, computer (with internet link), satellite TV and national and international telecommunications. There are also twenty private seats just outside the boxes.

Left: The nearby Xu Jia Hui Commerce Centre.


Below: Sheraton Hua Ting Hotel.

Ground floor plan of the centre showing the hotel, shopping centre, exhibition hall and sports club.

On the west side of the stadium is the eleven storey Regal Shanghai East Asia Hotel. Along with the Hua Ting Sheraton and the Jian Guo, the SSC will become an integral part of the new foreign orientated hotel network of Shanghai.

The hotel has 360 suites, different restaurants serving Chinese or Western cuisine, a coffeee shop and underground parking.

Left and above left: The exhibition hall on the south side of SSC has a floor area of 8,450 square metres, divided between the ground level and underground floors. As well as housing exhibitions, the hall will be used to hold other events such as news conferences and other political, economic and cultural exchanges.

Above: On the ground and underground floors, under the eastern stands, is the 16,000 square metre sports club, which has a full range of modern indoor sports facilities. There is also a game machine hall, bowling alleys, fast food outlets and a coffee shop. It is hoped that the people of Shanghai will use the sports club as a place for socialising as well as keeping fit.

On the northern side of the SSC is the retail plaza. The 3,500 square metre floor area can be flexibly subdivided, and will become a continuation of the Xu Jia Hui commercial centre for both shopping and business sales.

All hands on deck to remove the Terraplas turf protection system after the opening ceremony, making the stadium ready for use in the 8th National Games of the People's Republic.