A massive white dome towering over Licheng District in Jinan City, east China's Shandong Province, has become the talk of the town. Resembling a gigantic pillow, this structure is actually an innovative "air-supported foundation membrane" designed to enable cleaner, quieter urban construction.
Standing 50 meters tall and covering an area equivalent to 2.5 soccer fields in Jinan's Honglou commercial center, the dome serves as a protective shell for a new commercial complex under construction. Located just across the street from schools, residential areas, and historic buildings, the structure acts as a "green shield," blocking 90 percent of dust particles and reducing construction noise by 80 percent while protecting against wind, rain, and snow - allowing work to continue uninterrupted even during rainy seasons.
Inside the air-supported structure, the entire space requires no support beams or columns, with the ceiling reaching about 50 meters high. This open design allows large construction equipment to operate freely once full-scale work begins.
"The air-supported structure's control system continuously monitors internal air pressure and temperature. Four high-capacity fans on the northern side maintain fresh air circulation. As large-scale construction progresses, we will install spray systems to suppress dust inside. The membrane fabric uses innovative PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) material, blocking 90 percent of UV rays with high thermal reflectivity and dissipation rates, while meeting B1-grade (flame-retardant) fire safety standards," said Wang Luren, director of the development and construction department of Quanfu River Investment and Development Co., Ltd.
While the dome will be removed after project completion, this eco-friendly construction model is set to be replicated across Jinan for municipal projects and historical neighborhood renovations, offering cities a revolutionary "silent mode" for urban development.
Giant inflatable dome sheds light on future of eco-friendly construction
Several nations and international organizations have voiced strong condemnation against recent U.S. military actions targeting Venezuela, emphasizing the importance of international law and diplomatic solutions.
The United States launched military operations in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Jan 3. The Venezuelan government said the strikes hit civilian and military sites in at least four states, including Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. The U.S. attack has left 100 dead, Venezuela's interior ministry said Wednesday.
"The international law, the rules, the rules and regulations of the international system should be really respected. We at the African Union disapprove completely the kidnapping of a sitting president. We issued and released a communique, asking the global powers, influential countries to respect the rule of law, to respect the international law, and also to respect the immunity of sitting presidents everywhere," said African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
According to Russian media reports, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, after meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Friday, noted that the U.S. actions have resulted in the deaths of approximately one hundred Venezuelan civilians and military personnel.
He stressed that these tragic consequences must be severely condemned and thoroughly investigated. The ambassador added that the United States' neo-colonial, command-and-control approach clearly does not contribute to the normalization of Venezuelan oil sales, and such actions violate international law.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on Friday reiterated his country's commitment to a rules-based international order grounded in international law and multilateralism, with the United Nations (UN) at its center.
Delivering a keynote address on the 2026 Foreign Policy Outlook in Rustenburg, North West Province, Lamola said the doctrine of "might is right" must not be allowed to prevail, and that the rule of law remains fundamental to global stability, legitimacy, and governance.
He said that the unilateral military actions by the U.S. against Venezuela risk reducing the UN Charter to ashes. In the current situation, it is of unprecedented importance and urgency for countries to adhere to resolving disputes through dialogue, consultation, and diplomatic means.
Multiple nations, organizations condemn U.S. military actions against Venezuela
