URBANIAN PAVILION
World Expo Shanghai
A theatrically designed, monumental city. Inside a vast 15,000 m2 pavilion that stands over 20 metres high, we have designed a city made of found objects which triggers your imagination. Plastic crates become a large residential area full of skyscrapers. A gigantic pile of office furniture depicts an office colossus. Cardboard moving boxes shape a skyline.
- Location
- Shanghai (CN)
- Client
- Bureau of World Expo Coordination
- Year
- 2010
Project data
- 6families, cities, continents
- 45minute 'city walk'
- 300construction workers, technicians and constructors
- 5sub-pavilions
In search of happiness: how do you do that?
The ‘Urbanian Pavilion’ was one of the host country’s five themed pavilions during the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. To immerse you in the theme ‘In search of happiness’, we developed a concept that follows six existing families in their quest. They live in six different cities on six different continents.
A whole day in less than an hour.
During a 45-minute ‘city walk’ you will get new views, perspectives and insights into the lives of these six families. You can see the city they live in and how it changes throughout the day through different lighting and sound.
Highlighting themes that determine the quality of life
You see what makes the city so attractive to so many people: sufficient and satisfying work; a healthy and safe living environment; good learning opportunities; a rich social network; the diversity on offer; and the endless possibilities.
Three-part collage
Together with a team of more than 300 construction workers, technicians, and constructors, we worked for months on the five sub-pavilions: Living, Working, Communicating, Learning and Health. Each pavilion has a different design. Under our supervision, a Chinese film crew filmed six families in their homes and in their cities.
Awards
Designpreis Deutschland 2012
- Nominated
IDA International Design Awards (USA) 2010
- Interior Design – Gold
Red Dot Design Award 2011
- Interior Design - Winner
Design Week Awards 2011
- Design Week Awards 2011 Exhibition Design – Nominated
Inside Award (WAF Barcelona) 2011
- Display – Nominated
Exhibitor Magazine's EXPO Awards 2010
- Elements & Details - honorable mention
China's Most Succesful Design Awards 2010
- Succesful Award
IIDA Global Excellence Awards USA 2010
- Cultural/Institutional/Educational – honorable mention
