A nest-like architecture scheme for the main stadium of the 2008 Olympics has been pre-approved by the Beijing public during a design show here, beating the other two favorites by the smallest margin.

The architecture plan, co-designed by Swiss company Herzog & DeMeuron and China Architecture Design Institute, won 3,506 votes for the first place from over 6,000 visitors to the six-day exhibition, which closed on Sunday, to become the favorite design of the National Stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The design stood out with its unique nest-like exterior, which encloses the stadium with curved steel-net walls.

It was also one of the three winners picked by an official evaluation panel from 13 ones in a design competition prior to theexhibition, which had a total of 13 designs on show to solicit public opinions and suggestions.

The design submitted by the Beijing Architecture Design Institute won 3,472 votes while 3,454 votes went to the scheme from a consortium of Japanese AXS Company and Tsinghua University Architecture Design Institute.

"It is so beautiful. The longer I watch it, the better I like it," a lady said, standing before the winning architecture model. "It is awfully good. I have never seen stadiums like this before."

It was natural, however, that there was someone disagreeing.

"It is like a bird cage. If I have to see it every time I look out of my window, I am afraid I need to move somewhere else," a man living near the site of the future National Stadium grunted.

But there was another man understanding the design from a different aspect.

"I'd rather say it is a nest than a cage. I think it carries the implication of the nest where a new life is growing up. It is really a good idea," said the third.

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