Shenzhen Bay Sports Center ("Spring Cocoon")

Shenzhen Bay Sports Center is a sports complex on the shore of Shenzhen Bay, in Nanshan district, Shenzhen, China. A 20,000-seat stadium, a 13,000-seat gymnasium and a swimming hall share one white steel roof that wraps around all of them. The roof looks like a silkworm cocoon, so the place is nicknamed the Spring Cocoon.

It was finished in 2011 and hosted the opening ceremony and some events of the 2011 Summer Universiade, a big multi-sport competition for university students. The complex is also used for concerts, and since 2015 it has hosted the RoboMaster Robotics Competition every year.

Building on new land

An international design competition was held in early 2008, and preparation started that November. The center was built on land taken from the sea. Foundations went in during February 2009 and the building was complete in mid-2011.

The three arenas, an indoor arena and a pool hall are joined by one steel skin with holes in it. A 30-storey office tower is part of the complex.

Used for more than sport

The center is used for table tennis, swimming and football. It has held concerts by artists such as Mariah Carey, Westlife and Jessie J.

Since 2015 it has also hosted the RoboMaster Robotics Competition every year, where student teams fight with robots they built. The stadium is used mostly for table tennis, swimming and football. It is within walking distance of Houhai station on the Shenzhen Metro.

On the globe

The model shows the white steel-lattice shell stretching over the stadium, arena and swimming hall.