Wukesong Indoor Stadium at night

You’ve seen Team USA decimate five different opponents within the walls of Beijing’s Wukesong Indoor Stadium, the exclusive home to all Olympic hoops. From your La-Z-Boy, the games don’t look much different from an NBA arena. While there are many similarities, the Wukesong facility also stands out as another one of the cardinal architectural pieces of these Beijing Games.

From the hardwood inside the arena, Team USA probably feels completely at home inside Wukesong. It’s a state-of-the-art NBA style stadium designed by the Beijing Architecture Research Institute, but it got some crucial finishing touches from the mastermind behind Houston’s Toyota Center.

The jumbotron inside the Wukesong Indoor Stadium

“After the construction of the main structure,” Wukesong Culture Sports Company Deputy General Manager Chen Siyao said, “we engaged an NBA authoritative consultant for the most modern design concept.”

Just like the Rockets’ home, they equipped the venue with a ridiculous funnel-shaped jumbotron that seems to hang halfway down from the ceiling to the court. The 22-ton, 12-screen fixture faces eight different directions in the arena so that everyone who sets foot inside can get a glimpse of the HD.

More than any of the eight major projects newly constructed in Beijing, functionality is at a premium at Wukesong. The stadium seats 18,000 people with 2,000 more able to get a clear view of the action from the standing area. And all of those seats are the theater-style, super-comfortable chairs that you’d find at your local Loews. Even if Yao was sitting in front of you, you’d still be able to see the court without a problem.

But Wukesong’s signature touch might have come from BARI, the firm responsible for constructing the facility. They wrapped the exterior with aluminum-alloy cladding, which reflects light during the day in a brilliant gold, but at night can appear neon green. It’s a great affect, giving fans the feeling as if they’re entering a totally different space depending on the hour of the day.

Wukesong Indoor Stadium

And best of all, Wukesong boasts solar paneling and a green rainwater recycling system, making this one of the most visible environmentally friendly structures in all of China.