"Since its opening last year, Happy Magic Water Cube waterpark (the best name for anything, ever?) has become Beijing's second most popular destination, enticing visitors with a lazy river, wave pool, and speed slides, among other attractions. Blatant representations of underwater life in the form of inflatable jellyfish and seaweed irreverently brush up against the more austere (read: "serious") architecture. It turns out that the much celebrated ETFE membrane is the ideal backdrop for the playful proceedings, providing plenty of daylight by day, and turning the perfect shade of ocean blue at night.
There may be some naysayers who protest at the "debasement" of an architectural landmark. But there are many more who question the motives and decisions behind the making of Olympic-scale projects. No one pays more for these projects than citizens of the host city, who not only fork over tax dollars, but also powerlessly forfeit tracts of their metropolis in the name of "urban renewal". Olympic stadiums never make good on their investments, so why do city planning boards continue to eagerly sign off on the whims of a starchitect? It's time to say "no" to the Pritzker laureates and "yes" to more waterparks."
from architizer.
(the host building in its first incarnation.)
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