On August 8th, 2008, Beijing commanded the attention of the whole world, as the 29th Olympic Games opened. Today, we take a look back at the event as we tour the Shared Space Pavilion at the Olympic Green.
The design of the Shared Space Pavilion started on March 1st, 2008. Construction started on April 26th. And, on June 20th, the main structure was completed. After a month of decoration and furbishing, the pavilion opened on August 6th, two days ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
The pavilion features an array of full-length sculptures of contemporary entertainers, such as the actor Ge You and pop singers like Jay Chow, Will Pan, and S.H.E.
The magic realist paintings on the walls are another feature of the pavilion.
The designer used elements from China's traditional imperial buildings to temper the striking modernity.
The interior is divided into three halls.
Hall A is equipped with a gigantic video screen showing the landscape of Beijing.
And the life of Old Beijing was enacted in the hall, in the midst of nostalgic music.
A performance of the Peking Opera dancers with their billowing sleeves echoes the content of the video footage.
On the screen, cartoon figures present the landmarks of the ancient capital over the centuries.
Through its video imagery, Hall A successfully conveyed the ideal of "One World, One Dream".
And spectators can interact with the heroes on the big screen, as part of the cutting edge technology provided by the pavilion's sponsor.
Hall B created a fantasy of space. Here life on earth merges seamlessly with the mysteries of space.
At the VIP area on the second floor, visitors can enjoy exhibits including traditional artifacts, porcelains and furniture.
And there are also paintings, works of calligraphy and a demonstration of traditional tea drinking.
The Shared Space Pavilion is one of the highlights of the Olympic Green. Over a million people visited it during the Games, including IOC and BOCOG officials as well as prominent business leaders.
(CCTV August 11, 2009)
