THE MULTIMILLION euro HQ of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV will open in time to broadcast the London Olympics, after a fire three years ago in a neighbouring building, caused by an illegal fireworks display, delayed the opening of the iconic structure.
Designed by ultrahip Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the building was a showcase for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Executives are hoping that, by broadcasting the London Olympics from the CCTV building, they can draw a close to a sorry chapter in Beijing’s urban renewal, sources said.
The spectacular 234m continuous tube without right angles in the central business district is known as the “Twisted Doughnut”. It has 400,000sq m of floor space and stands out against the city skyline.
Executives at CCTV decided to stage a Chinese New Year party on the roof of the neighbouring TVCC building, designed to house a luxury hotel and form an integral part of the complex. They set off fireworks, which caused a fire. One fireman was killed trying to put out the inferno.
The fire was read by many as a bad omen at the start of the Year of the Ox, with some people speculating on the internet that maybe the feng shui was bad.
After a partial opening for the Olympics in 2008, the CCTV building had been due to open in October 2010. While the CCTV building itself was untouched by the blaze, the overall situation was an embarrassment.
It also meant the headquarters could not open in time because of the burned-out husk of the North Tower beside it, untouched for years seemingly while the government made up its mind about what to do. The North Tower is now being renovated and should be ready in 2014.
Beijingers have long wondered what would become of the building, as it seemed that it was taking a long time to open. The exterior of the building is clearly ready.
Staff at CCTV said they had not been told when the building would open, although they did believe it would be some time this year.
Twenty-one people were given jail terms of between three and seven years after the fire, including top CCTV executive Xu Wei, who was in charge of construction at the new complex, other CCTV executives and safety engineers.
The cost of the fire was estimated at more than 160 million yuan (€19 million).