The Olympic-sized main stadium will be the city’s landmark sports complex for international events. The architects and installers, wishing to have the exterior of the facilities reflect the flora found nearby, chose Novelis ColorisTM pre-painted aluminum to construct the shells of the stadiums.

When completed by the end of 2018, the 80,000-seat main facility will be the largest of its kind in China. It will be used primarily for soccer, or football, matches, as well as international track and field competitions. Two swimming venues, with capacities for 18,000 and 6,000 spectators, are also part of the complex.

The second stadium at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center is designed to host tennis matches with a 10,000-seat venue for finals, a pair of venues for semifinal matches with 2,000 seats each, as well as a number of facilities for semifinal matches and training.

Though international and national sports competitions on the top floor will be the heart of the complex, it is part of a mixed-use area that has two other levels of activity. The ground level will host public recreation and include gardens and walkways, while below ground will be retail space, restaurants and a cinema.