Beijing Weather Support Activities, Part III

One of the more interesting activities during my trip to Beijing was a visit to the offices for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Winter Games to discuss weather support.

Their offices have been integrated into an old steel factory in ways that were pretty mind boggling.  I've never really seen anything like it.  In some areas, the offices were integrated into old silos that were once used to store iron ore pellets, with holes cut into the silos like Swiss cheese to allow light in. 

In others, the grounds and offices were built around old conveyor belt systems, making for a scene that seemed to be out of a movie. 

As can be seen above, cooling towers from the old power plant (coal fired) rise conspicuously at the edge of the facility.  These were a source of great pride and we were given a tour of one, which would never have happened in the litigious United States. 

I was thinking that one hell of a sport climbing facility could be built using one of these towers, but it turns out that they are going to build the worlds first permanent Snowboard Big Air venues using one and use it for the Olympics.  To give some idea of how this might work, below is a photo of the big air facility in Pyeongchang.

Source: snowboarding.transworld.net (Photo: Mark Clavin)

Now, check out the photo below and use your imagination.