China builds for 2008

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- In the past, when people have thought of Beijing, they have thought of the Forbidden City. That is all about to change.

Once China completes its ambitious building projects for the 2008 Olympics, the face of Beijing will literally have changed. The once-dominant traditional hutongs will give way to gleaming skyscrapers and shining domes. Old Beijing will sit side by side with some of the world's newest architectural wonders.

In the future when people think of Beijing, they will think of buildings such as the "Water Cube" and the "Egg."

The building effort has stirred both applause for cutting-edge building designs, and criticism and anxiety over the future place for China's traditional architectural signatures.

CNN offers a pictorial guide through Beijing's transformation -- an architectural work-in-progress. E-mail to a friend