In 1820, German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss proposed cutting an enormous right triangle into the Siberianpine forest, creating a monument to the Pythagorean theorem big enough to see from outer space.
Behind the velodrome's timber-clad frame, cyclists will race for gold round a track made from sustainably-sourced Siberianpine, while Zaha Hadid's striking wave-shaped roof on the Aquatics Center has been temporarily adorned with "wings" providing seating for 15, 000 spectators.