Binzhou National Health and Culture Center Stadium – design description

How did the new sports complex in Binzhou come about?

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Binzhou city authorities began planning the construction of a large sports complex. The complex was to be built in the so-called Binzhou New District, an area that at the time could be described as the north-western suburbs of Binzhou, although today these areas are already heavily urbanised and part of the urban fabric.

A plot of land of almost 100 ha was designated for the construction of the so-called Binzhou Olympic Park. The foundation stone was laid on December 28, 2006. Work first started in the south-western part of the plot, where the so-called Education Center was built.

The main element of the Education Center is a sports hall (Binzhou Olympic Park Gymnasium) with a capacity of 7,000 spectators (including 5,000 fixed seats), built between 2007 and 2009, which hosted the judo and wushu taolu competitions of the 11th Chinese National Games in October 2009.

In the following years, further buildings and sports facilities were built on the complex. The final element of the complex is to be the so-called National Health and Culture Center, which will occupy the south-eastern section of the Binzhou Olympic Park.

What will the National Health and Culture Center in Binzhou be?

The main elements that make up the National Health and Culture Center are a 33,000-seat multi-purpose stadium and a building housing the so-called National Fitness Center, which will include gymnasiums, basketball and badminton arenas and even swimming pools.

When will the new stadium in Binzhou be built?

The coverage of the construction of Binzhou National Health and Culture Center Stadium can be seen on a separate subpage

Construction of the National Health and Culture Center officially began on May 29, 2021, and the main contractor for the stadium is China Railway Construction Engineering Group Second Company. The venue is scheduled to be completed in October 2023. The construction of the stadium including the fitness center is expected to cost 1.644 billion yuan.

What does the Binzhou Olympic Park look like?

A small pond has been created in the central part of Binzhou Olympic Park. The south-eastern part of the complex is occupied by the so-called Education Center, which includes a sports hall for 7,000 spectators. The north-eastern section of the site is occupied by the so-called Culture Center.

The land to the north of the lake is a fitness area with a large number of playing fields for various sports. The north-eastern part of the complex is the so-called Technology Center, and the south-eastern zone will be occupied by the National Health and Culture Center, of which the main stadium of the complex will be a part.

The complex includes various sports facilities and other buildings, as well as numerous playing fields, tennis courts and recreational paths and areas, as well as access roads and car parks.

What will the new Binzhou stadium be like?

The main stadium of the Binzhou Olympic Park complex will feature an athletics track and stands capable of holding 33,000 spectators. A lower spectator ring will surround the running track on all sides, and high second tiers of stands will also be built along the pitch, on both sides.

The whole will be surrounded by a huge steel structure forming the façade and the roof that will cover all the stands. The façade of the building will be clad in decorative glass and aluminium panels. An elevated entrance promenade will be created around the stadium. The building's form has already earned it the nickname 'Bird's Nest of Binzhou' (in reference to the National Stadium in Beijing).

What will the new stadium in Binzhou be built for?

The new stadium will become the main sports venue in the city and will be capable of hosting a variety of sports and cultural events at regional and national levels. The construction of the National Health and Culture Center will complete the Binzhou Olympic Park complex, which has been under construction since 2006, as its final component.