AR Awards for Emerging Architecture	Highly commended	December 2007
CHRIS BOSSE / PTW ARCHITECTS	National Aquatics Centre	Beijing, China
This high commendation recognises the contribution made by Chris Bosse who worked as lead concept architect in a creative collaboration led by PTW Architects working with Arup’s Sydney office and CSCEC Shenzhen Design Institute (now named CCDI). While never the work of one architect alone, such recognition is welcome, highlighting the input of relatively young architects working within larger more established offices. The soon-to-be completed Water Cube in Beijing sits next to Herzog and de Meuron’s distinctive bird’s nest stadium forming the centrepiece of the city’s Olympic Park. Won in competition in July 2003, the aquatic centre is unlike most traditional arena buildings in so far as the space structure and skin were conceived as a single element. Conceptually the square box and interior space are carved out of a cluster of foam bubbles. Reminiscent of Grimshaw’s Eden Project, a steel superstructure is infilled with inflated translucent ETFE cushions. Unlike Eden, the geometry is apparently random, and instead of a single skin, here there are two skins adding to the complexity and richness of the optical effect. Construction began on 24 December 2003, with the concrete and steel structures taking over two and a half years to complete. Picking up pace in the run up to 2008, installation of the ETFE cushions began in August 2006, with the completion of the outer skin taking just five months. The project is due for completion at the end of 2007, with the test event scheduled to take place in February 2008. R. G. Architect Chris Bosse, PTW Architects, Sydney with Arup and CSCEC Project team John Bilmon, Mark Butler, Chris Bosse Email mail@chrisbosse.com