The Olympics opening ceremonies in Beijing was probably the most amazing opening of a ceremony, or opening of anything, that we have ever seen! Some 15,000 performers and 30,000 fireworks launched most expensive Games on record!

The Beijing Olympic games is set to be the most expensive ever held, with total costs around 295 billion yuan ($43.13 billion) – a city administration spokesman (Liu Zhi) said on Monday.

The money spent is made up of operational fund, venue construction costs and infrastructure costs. 19 world class venues have been built, including the Bird’s Nest Stadium now featured on the nation’s 10 yuan note (limited edition), plus infrastructure projects such as the Capital Airport’s Terminal 3, the world’s largest building.

The road and subway network has been greatly expanded while pocket parks, sometimes with stunning plant sculptures have been created.

The stadium has been dogged by controversy, as 6,000 homes were demolished to make way for it and there were claims that 10 people died in accidents during the four years it has taken to build. The Beijing authorities have relocated more than a million people to facilitate these construction projects.

Copyright : Getty images

Gucci has just announced the creation of a special collection, 8-8-2008 Limited Edition, using the opportunity to contribute to the Summer Olympics in China, so as to increase its brand awareness in label-conscious Asia.

In total, Gucci has produced 8 accessories, conceived by Gucci’s creative director, Frida Giannini, each inspired by competitive sports. The entire line plays a numbers game, since the Olympics will be held on 8-8-1008. (eight is the lucky number in Chinese culture).

For all eight accessories, the color red permeates the collection. “Not only does red evoke happiness and celebration, two emotions that couldn’t be more appropriate to describe the excitement brought by the international sport games, but it also happens to be a very fashionable color for 2008,” Giannini said.

“A noteworthy product in this collection is the 8-8-2008 I-Gucci watch ($1,415), the company’s first digital timepiece, boasts a black dial, steel frame and a clean digital face with a red and green logo commemorating the year 2008 on the back. The exterior of its red rubber strap is engraved with the Gucci logo, while the interior has been engrossed with Gucci’s iconic GG pattern. The timepiece allows the wearer to select a dedicated Beijing time zone code on the display too (source).”

The “8-8-2008 Limited Edition” collection includes other accessories such as a unique bicycle ($3,420) with bold red double GG leather details, and some collectable items such as a luxurious Mahjong ($3,150) set covered in red La Pelle Guccissima leather, and, to pay homage to China, the country’s iconic panda animal offered as a soft leather teddy bear for $1,050.

Also included in the collection are two pieces of luggage in “La Pelle Guccissima” (a sturdy leather duffle for $2,795 and a $995 soft leather messenger bag with Gucci’s iconic green-and-red web on the shoulder strap) ; sports shoes ($660), for both men and women, articulated in a fresh patchwork of suede, patent leather and gold trim and a $445 necklace inspired by military tags, in sterling silver.

The I-Gucci watch will be offered worldwide but all other accessories of this special collection will be sold exclusively in Hong Kong and mainland China.

After 4 years the Beijing Airport -currently the biggest one in the world- is finished, just in time for the 2008 Olympics.

The new Terminal 3, built at a cost of $3.5 billion usd is the first building to break the one million square meter barrier : it will accommodate an estimated 50 million passengers per annum by 2020.

And yeah, from the air, the new airport looks like a giant guitar !
Find out more about Beijing Airport on Archdaily

China has officially taken the wrapping off its National Aqautics Center, nicknamed the “Water Cube”, which resembles a gigantic box of bubble-wrap.

Designed by a joint Chinese-Australian consortium, the center is one of two iconic structures constructed for the Beijing Olympics this year.

It stands alongside the 91,000 seater National Stadium, more affectionately known as “Bird’s Nest”.

Work on the Water Cube began at the end of 2003 at an estimated cost of US$100 million, and took three years to complete.