Two days ago, the steel pillars of the "Bird's Nest" were completely hoisted into place. The Beijing Urban Construction Group told reporters yesterday that the move signaled the more technically difficult part of the building of the facility thus far.

The structure's roof and body is to be composed of over 42,000 tons of steel. The pillars themselves weigh over 180 tons and come at a height of 10 meters each. Due to space restrictions, the hoisting of the steel columns required much precision and technology to ensure the safety of the construction workers. The remaining 23 steel legs are currently still in the midst of being processed; they will soon join the columns already on site at the Olympic venue.

On the same day, construction in the Beijing University Gymnasium also began. The end of this month or early next month will see renovations start on the Gymnasium of the Beijing University of Science and Technology. By then, 11 new Olympic venues would have all started construction. The building of these facilities take into account the concepts of a "Green Olympics," a "Hi-Tech Olympics," and a "People's Olympics." These ideas form the "marrow" of Beijing Olympic thought.