September showcase for Beijing Olympic bidders

China Central TV’s new HQ for the Olympics will be the subject of a conference presentation

The China International Steel Construction Congress and Expo in September will be an essential event for anyone considering bidding for work on the 2008 Olympics.

The Expo, which last year attracted 7000 professional visitors with 176 exhibitors and 9000m² of exhibition space, will allow companies with an interest in the Olympics to display their expertise. Expo themes include membranes, stainless steel, computer aided design and space structures, as well as welding and fastening, and steel housing.

The Congress, which runs at the same time, promises to bring together structural steel producers and government officials with professionals from design, building, contracting and consulting. The conference programme suggests delegates will “benefit first-hand from Olympic 2008”.

BCSA director-general Derek Tordoff said: “Anybody with half a mind on winning some work on the Olympics, whether steelwork contractors, general contractors or designers, ought to go.”

A highlight of the conference promises to be a presentation, by Chen Luru of China’s expert committee on steel structures, on the new headquarters for China Central TV. Commissioned specially for the Olympics and designed by Arup, the 54-storey building has a 120,000t steel exoskeleton. It consists of  two vertical sections leaning at 6deg, joined by a 15-storey horizontal link at the top and another at the bottom.