Analysis for Water Cube Case Study

Assignment: 

1. Describe the project and its main objective.  What main activities were carried out in this project and what was the end goal?

The project was to create an Olympic swimming venue for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Arup project management team had to deliver a fully coordinated scheme design, seamlessly hand over the design to the Chinese design partners, whilst ensuring that the technical approvals were all secured, and that the innovative design was understood, accepted by the Chinese Authorities and then constructed safely. Ensuring the Water Cube became reality and a viable long-term legacy after the games, and also need to have a full and transparent collaboration with PTW Architects and China Construction Design International( CCDI).

Main objectives are the Beijing Government expected to successfully build the best Olympic swimming venue that would then become a popular and well-used leisure and training facility after the Games. The cost should no more than US$100M before the Olympics and US$10M for its conversion to legacy. The construction was to start before the end of 2003 and to be completed at least six months before the Olympics to allow a sufficient period for trial competitive events.

The main activities were carried out in this project including forming an international partnership, managing cultural differences and risks, relationship building, establishing and developing the communication strategy and risk management strategy, dealing with stakeholders in different location and deal with intellectual property and ownership of design to establish a legacy and developing the tools to deliver.

The end goal was to create an Olympic swimming venue then manage the design of the ‘Water Cube’ National Swimming Aquatic Centre, a landmark building for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

1. What were major challenges faced by the team?

Challenge 1：Timing issue

The fixed end date, the project must to be finished at least six months before the Olympics to allow an enough period for trial competitive events, and also delivering the physical venue design in advance of knowing who would operate the Water Cube before and after the games, and how they may want to reconfigure the building.

Challenge2：Budget problem

The budget for the Water Cube project was to cost no more than US$100M before the Olympic and US$10M for its conversion to legacy mode. Therefore, it seems that it is an enormous challenge and marvelous achievement to finish such project for this budget.

Challenge 3：Design complexity and safety

The design of the project had enormous wow-factor, and concepts were so cutting edge that multiple streams of research and development were still needed to prove the design both internally and to design partners, and to sell technical aspects to the Chinese approval authorities. And also the construction site safety records in China are poor, measured by international standards. The international Water Cube team need to make ensure that the technical approvals were all secured, and that the cube concept design was understood, accepted by the Chinese authorities and then constructed safely.