Workers' Stadium Flattened as Deconstruction Gets Underway

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Aug 18, 2020 4:30 pm | 2 comments | 2185 reads

Though we’ve known for some time that we would soon have to bid farewell to the Workers’ Stadium we knew and loved, it never felt as real as it does now that the stadium is half flattened. Thus begins the 813-day countdown until we meet the new and improved Gongti, which will open just in time to host the opening ceremonies for the 2023 Asian Cup in July of that year.

According to the Chaoyang news WeChat account, Chaoyang Tong, the new stadium will have upgraded seating and feature improved acoustics, but beyond that, little has been made public about the specifics of the renovation plans. To be sure, however, the alterations will be far more significant than the last time the stadium got a minor upgrade just prior to the 2008 Olympics.

With Workers' Stadium out of commission, Beijing Guo'an has made its temporary home at the Olypmic Stadium, but the team plans to return once construction is complete.

The deconstruction of the landmark structure has already taken a few casualties along with it, notably including several nightclubs in the area. However, if the new stadium looks anything like the unconfirmed renders done by Manica Architecture back in 2017, then its revival will be certain to bring new life to Sanlitun.

READ: Workers’ Stadium Turns 60: Looking Back at its Moments in History

Images: Kuji Rolls, Chaoyang Tong

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jknotts's picture jknotts Submitted by Guest on Wed, 08/19/2020 - 10:19

Giovanni Martini wrote:

I believe the word you are fumbling after is "demolition." Deconstruction is a method of literary criticism for which Jacques Derrida was the pin-up boy. 

Thanks for the "constructive" criticism, but deconstruction is, in fact, the appropriate word here since the building is being stripped down of its parts rather than having its structure demolished. 

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