PLAY
Beijing’s Happy Magic Watercube
Famous for its bubble-wrap exterior, Beijing’s Water Cube – the swimming and diving venue for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games – has been transformed into a family-friendly, indoor waterpark, complete with slides, a lazy river and a wave pool. We ask Anthony Van Dam, vice president of conceptual designer Forrec how the new design respects and enhances this landmark building.
What is the Happy Magic Watercube? It’s the fully-themed indoor waterpark contained within Beijing’s existing iconic Olympic venue – the National Aquatics Centre – also known as the Watercube. It now offers an ambience that changes from bright and tropical during the day to moody and mysterious at night.
Who was the client, what was the design brief and how was this met? Our clients, the Tianyou Tourism Group and its partner, the Beijing National Aquatic Center Company, asked us to cre- ate a themed waterpark experience in the uncompleted leisure hall within the Watercube, which would both respect and enhance the architectural icon. Build- ing on the venue’s worldwide renown
and its cultural importance within China, our aim was to create a waterpark that would be sympathetic to and expand on the structure’s unique qualities.
When did Forrec embark on the project and when did it open to the public? To capitalise on the national and interna- tional interest in the structure, the plan was to re-open the venue as the Happy Magic Watercube two years after the Olympic Games, so the design and build schedule was extremely tight. Forrec‘s team of creative designers,
architects and interior designers began work on the project in April 2009, and construction began in October of that year. The project opened on 8 August 2010 – exactly two years after the close of the 2008 Olympics.
How has the park been received by the Chinese public? People have taken to the waterpark in a big way. It was reported that open- ing day tickets were so coveted that they were being sold above their face value. The operator is controlling the at- tendance by capping it at around 4,000 guests a day. The clients are so pleased with the re-
sult that they are working to extend the brand throughout China. The interna- tional waterpark industry awarded the project its Industry Innovation Award in
Since the waterpark’s opening, interest has been so high that the operator has capped daily attendance at 4,000
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2010 and media interest in the ‘fantasy aquarium’ has made the Watercube our most publicised project to date.
What services did Forrec provide? Forrec’s scope of work included: master- planning, concept design, schematic and interior design, architectural services, theming and limited site direction.
What attractions are on offer within the waterpark? The park includes a wave pool, over- looked by a giant video screen, a collection of water cannons and water sprays, a dozen speciality slides and sev- eral spa pools. Proslide has provided a Tornado fun-
nel slide, Bullet Bowl and PIPEline, as well as the company’s first RideHOUSE family waterplay structure. From Whitewater West comes China’s first Aqua Loop and an Aqua Tube body slide. A 450sq m chil- dren’s play area has been furnished by Empex Watertoys. The waterpark equipment is incorpo-
rated into the volume and character of the entire space. Slide towers, for exam- ple climb high into the floating bubbles, aquatic plants and jellyfish – giving visitors a new and unexpected view of the underwater environment. The play structure allows children to explore the colourful world of a tropical reef.
How did you address the challenges of designing a water feature within an existing structure? Forrec has built a reputation for cre- ating projects that reflect the unique characteristics of each site. The leisure
Issue 2 2012 © cybertrek 2012
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