2008 Beijing Olympic Forest Park

奥林匹克森林公园

Beijing,China | 2006-2008

Collaboration Ron Henderson, Pablo Ortiz, Jose Vargas, Sophath Toun; Tsinghua Urban Planning and Design Institute, Executive Landscape Architect Hu Jie

Recognition Honor Award in Design, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), 2009. President’s Award for Design, International Federation of Landscape Architects of Asia - Pacific Congress, 2009., President’s Award for Planning, International Federation of Landscape Architects of Asia - Pacific Congress, 2009. Torsanlorenzo International Prize, First Prize, 2007.

Trees 540,000

LIRIO was a consulting design expert with Tsinghua Urban Planning and Design Institute for the Olympic Forest Park - the northern terminus of the 2008 Beijing Olympic site. The park, at 680 hectares, is the largest park in Beijing and is twice the area of New York's Central Park. 450,000 trees were planted in the park which was constructed for $1.12 billion USD.

The new park is home to three Olympic venues: tennis, hockey, and archery. The National Stadium, or Bird's Nest, can be seen looking south from atop the 48-meter hill in the Olympic Forest Park that was constructed with the excavated material for the construction of buildings for the Olympics. The park is also the terminal station for the new Olympic Subway Line.

During the Olympic Games, the park was a gift from Beijing for the delegations, athletes, and officials - a generous leisure garden that provided respite from the pressures of competition. After the Games, Olympic Forest Park has been, arguably, the most successful contribution from the Olympics as it has become a treasured destination for the citizens of Beijing.