在天津，这个体育建筑的诞生几乎遭遇了建筑师所有的不幸：自2004年以来，方案不计其数的修改，主创建筑师离职、项目更换场地、投资预算缩减、建筑体量缩减……幸运的是，它终于建成了。而且是建在水边的水上运动中心。

天津奥林匹克水上中心位于奥林匹克中心竞技区东南侧，北邻天津体育馆，西侧与奥林匹克体育场隔湖相望。总体规划方案以生命之源——水为主题，利用自然水域的优势，体育场、馆依水而起，形似飘逸的水滴，犹如碧波之中荡漾的几叶小舟。寓意了人类回归自然的理想。体育馆，体育场和水上中心犹如三滴晶莹的露珠点缀在水面上，环状道路联系了三个场馆。天津奥林匹克水上中心在形体上遵循了奥林匹克中心总体规划“三滴露珠”的原则，采用水滴状的曲线造型，屋面主体采用银灰色金属板，上开月牙状采光排烟窗，屋面外缘及与之相连的立面部分采用半透明聚碳酸酯板，与屋面金属板共同形成“水滴”的主体维护结构。聚碳酸酯板与建筑主体间为半室外过度空间，满足建筑的通风及采光要求，板的下缘设计成一条舒缓的自然曲线，既突出并限定了不同的入口空间，又与奥林匹克体育场相互呼应。其他部分的外墙采用波纹板金属外墙，突出其不同于聚碳酸酯板的质感和肌理。比赛大厅南侧对应红旗南路主入口处局部采用玻璃幕墙，满足比赛大厅的通风采光同时突出建筑入口的形象。 水上中心主要分为比赛区与健康水会两个区域，这两个区域被包含在统一的体型中。健康水会将在日常的运营中对公众开放，将成为市民休闲娱乐的场所。

A Drop of Water

       Tianjin Olympic Aquatic Center is located in the southeast of competition section of the Olympic Center, neighboring with Tianjin Stadium on the north and adjacent to Olympic stadium on the west separated by a lake in the middle of them.

       General planning proposal of the competition section of Tianjin Olympic Center takes water ——the source of life, as theme. Based on the natural advantage of water source, the stadium and gymnasium are built along the river, just like the elegant water drop, or like several small boats floating on the green water surface. It implies the dream of human to return to nature. The gymnasium, stadium and aquatic center are like three translucent dewdrops decorating on the water. The three sections have been connected by cyclic roads. Tianjin Olympic Aquatic Center follows the idea of “three dewdrops” in the general planning of Olympic Center in form and adopts water-drop-shape of profile; grey metal plate is used for main body of surface; crescent-moon-shape of window is opened on the top for illumination and smoke-drainage; translucent polycarbonate plates are used for the outer edge of roof and the connecting facade parts, which can coordinate with roofing metal plate to form “water drop” style of major structure. Semi-outdoor excessive space among polycarbonate plate and main buildings can meet the requirement of ventilation and illumination of the building and the lower edge of plate is designed to be a natural profile, which can not only highlight and limit different entrance spaces but also coordinate with the Olympic Stadium. External wall of other parts adopt corrugated metal plate, so as to highlight the quality and texture that are different from polycarbonate plate. Glass wall is utilized at main entrance on Hong Qi South Road, on the south of competition hall so as to meet the requirements of ventilation and illumination of the competition hall and improve the image of the building entrance.