IN WITH THE NEW #1: Ahead of the Olympics, Beijing plunged headlong into a construction frenzy that at times made the Chinese capital seem like a giant construction site. Old neighbourhoods were torn down in record time to make way for gleaming towers of steel and glass, such as the iconic new headquarters of state broadcaster China Central Television (bottom left), and spectacular stadiums like the "Water Cube" (bottom right). Given China's economic boom, many of these changes would have taken place with or without the Olympics. But preparations for the Games supercharged this process, prompting preservationists to question whether the Olympics killed off a much-needed debate on to how the ancient city's cultural and historical heritage can be better preserved.