Case Study: Beijing National Stadium achieves accurate modeling for the Bird’s Nest with Trimble Tekla Structures

Olympic Stadium - Bird's Nest Accurate modeling ensures architects’ dreams come true

Beijing National Stadium, the iconic “Bird’s Nest” in Beijing, faced the challenge of designing and detailing an extremely irregular steel structure for the Olympic Green venue. Its complex geometry, large spans, and need to minimize steel weight required advanced modeling methods; Trimble’s Tekla Structures software was used to handle the detailing and workshop design of the most challenging parts of the steel frame.

Trimble helped the project team model the roof and structural connections accurately, including mirrored 3D views and extensive section drawings for the irregular assembly. The work took about one year and contributed to a reduced steel weight from 45,000 to 42,000 tons, helping control construction costs while delivering the landmark stadium successfully.