(edited 16 August)
Today on 14 August the Belgian Ambassador, Mr. Bernard Pierre, in the name of the Belgian Government, officially signed the Donation Agreement with the representatives of the Beijing Municipal Government. The Belgian side will donate the “Athletes Alley”, the work of the famous Belgian artist Olivier Strebelle. It will be a symbol of the Olympic spirit and of the friendship between China and Belgium.
The Chinese side was headed by Mr. Wang Wenhong, vice director of the Beijing Municipal Planning Commission, representing the Mayor’s Office. Also present was the Foreign Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipality.
Five groups of abstract sculptures made of stainless steel tubes are spread over an area of 100 meters long and 20 meters wide. The average height is 14.5 meters and the highest point is 20 m.
From a precise point of view at the entry of the alley, the abstract elements become a figurative ensemble revealing the logo of the Olympic Games, held up by five athletes.
The sculptures will be located in the western part of the Olympic Forest Park, north of the International Area and the Olympic Village and south of the Tennis Venue, the Archery Field and the Hockey Field.
After the Games, the Archery Field and the Hockey Field will be removed and the area will become a park.
The area will remain a central entry point to the western part of the Forest Park as well as to the central area of the Forest part, through a road and bridge going from west to east.
After the Games, most of the International Area will become a park except for a few buildings that will remain.
The Belgian side will soon start implementing the project and the art work should be ready by the end of March 2008. It will remain an attraction after the Games.
We are very thankful to all the relentless efforts of the Belgian Ambassador in Beijing, the Chinese Ambassador in Brussels, the Beijing Municipal Government in general and the Beijing Municipal Planning Commission in particular. Not to forget many other friends who helped this project become a reality, such as Tsinghua University.
Now, let’s go and “do it”!
See also earlier postings on the project in this blog, like the signing ceremony of the first tube.
The website of BOCOG also reported the signing ceremony of the first tube, see the following link:
http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/bocognews/headlines/n214098678.shtml
Note: more info can be found on the following website, dedicated to the project:
www.athletesalley.be
For the moment the site is in French only, English version to follow.