Contrasting photos show the Beijing Olympics' divisive post-industrial big air venue. Some see it as a 'hellscape,' others say it's a thing of brutal beauty.

• Big Air Shougang sits on the site of an former steel mill, closed before the 2008 Olympics.
• It is surrounded by furnaces, tall chimney stacks, and cooling towers.

Winter Olympic ski jumpers and snowboarders are accustomed to performing against the backdrops of spectacular snow-capped mountains.

However, in Beijing, that certainly isn't the case.

Big Air Shougang, the venue being used at this year's freestyle skiing and snowboard Big Air competitions, sits on the site of a former steel mill which ceased operations more than 15 years ago as a means of lowering air pollution ahead of the 2008 Olympics.

Behind the 60-meter-high ramp lay furnaces, tall chimney stacks, and cooling towers – one of which has the Beijing 2022 logo printed on it.

The venue's backdrop has divided opinion among fans. Some have called it a "hellscape" and suggested it looks like a "nuclear plant," while others have described it as "brutally cool."

Athletes have also been torn on the venue.

Chinese ski sensation Eileen Gu, who won gold in the women's in the Big Air competition, loves it.

"The venue is fantastic," Gu said, according to Sportsmail. "I mean, look around, there's no snow anywhere else. And somehow when you're skiing on this job, you're feel like you're on a glacier somewhere."

As does America's Darian Stevens, who said, according to SB Nation: "It's definitely cool being in a stadium vibe. That's not typically a thing."

French competitor Antoine Adelisse, however, is not a fan.

"The first time I was on the top I was a bit disappointed, because when we're at the top we usually see lots of mountains," she said.

Photos of the venue can be confusing. From some angles it looks absolutely stunning, particularly when illuminated at night, while from others, the barren surroundings of the slope are extremely clear to see.

Keep scrolling to see more pictures of Big Air Shougang.

The artwork on one of the cooling towers makes for an impressive backdrop when pictured close up.

Mac Forehand of Team United States.      Getty/Richard Heathcote

But from further away, it's definitely less pretty.

Big Air Shougang lies on the site of an old steel mill.      Getty/AFP

The skyline of the Shijingshan District provides a striking urban backdrop.

The Shijingshan District is an urban district of the municipality of Beijing.      Getty/David Ramos

Zoom out, however, and the view is far more industrial.

Oliwer Magnusson of Team Sweden.      Getty/Catherine Ivill

The ramp itself is undeniably impressive, measuring 60 meters tall and around 210 meters long. It was designed by architect Nicolas Godelet.

Lara Wolf of Team Austria performs a jump on day three.      Getty/Harry How

But perspective is everything, with many on social media calling the venue a "hellscape."

Shougang Park.      Getty/Lintao Zhang

The view doesn't look too bad from the stands.

The landing area at Big Air Shougang.      Getty/David Ramos

Depending on which way you look.

What a view.      Getty/Carl Court

At night time it can be a different story, with an array of colored lights illuminating the ramp.

Big Air Shougang at night.      Getty/Wang Baosheng

It is particularly impressive when the lights bounce off the nearby water — which happens to be an old reservoir for the steel mill.

Pretty, right?      Getty/Gao Zehong

Love it or hate it, it's certainly a talking point.

Eileen Gu doesn’t seem to mind the venue.      Getty/Huang Zongzhi/Xinhua