Rejecting the typical notion of a cultural pavilion as an object in a plaza, the China Pavilion is instead conceived as a fi eld of spaces. Envisioned as a cloud hovering over a “land of hope”, the Pavilion is experienced as a series of public programs located beneath a fl oating roof, the unique design of which creates an iconic image for the project and a unique presence within the Expo grounds.
The theme for the China Pavilion is “The Land of Hope”. The project embodies this through its undulating roof form, derived by merging the profi le of a city skyline on the building’s north side with the profi le of a landscape on the south side, expressing the idea that “hope” can be realized when city and nature exist in harmony. Conceived as a timber structure that references the “raised-beam” system found in traditional Chinese architecture, the Pavilion roof also uses modern technology to create long spans appropriate to the building’s public nature. The roof is covered in shingled panels that reference traditional pottery roof construction, but are reinterpreted as large bamboo leaves that enhance the roof profi le while shading the public spaces below. Designed as layered screens, these panels add texture and depth to the Pavilion’s roof and create evocative light and transparency effects below.
Beneath the roof, the building’s ground plane is defi ned by a landscape of wheat (the “land of hope”) that references China’s agrarian past. This natural landscape transitions seamlessly into an LED multimedia installation in the center that forms the centerpiece of the building’s exhibition program.
The Pavilion’s full exhibition and cultural offerings are experienced as a sequence of spaces, beginning with an exterior waiting area in the landscape, leading to a themed exhibition space with interactive installations and cultural offerings from different Chinese provinces. After this, visitors are guided up a gently sloped public stair to a panoramic viewing platform above the multimedia installation, after which they are guided into a multimedia space featuring a short fi lm focusing on family reunions during China’s annual Spring Festival. This sequence concludes with visitors stepping outside the building onto a platform above the bamboo roof that enjoys expansive views of the Expo grounds.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Award: First Prize
Client: China Council for the Promotion of International Trade
Organizer: Expo Milano 2015
ARCHITECTURE
Architect: Tsinghua University & Studio Link-Arc
Chief Architect: Yichen Lu (Tsinghua University + Studio Link-Arc)
Associate In Charge: Kenneth Namkung, Qinwen Cai (Studio Link-Arc)
Project Team: Shuning Fan, Hyunjoo Lee, Dongyul Kim, Alban Denic , Zach Grzybowski (Studio Link-Arc)
Structural Engineer: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Enclosure Engineer: Elite Facade Consultants + ATLV
MEP Engineer: Beijing Qingshang Environmental Art & Architectural Design
General Contractor: China Arts Construction and Decoration Company + Unique Europe + Bodino Engineering
Rendering: MIR
Model Photo: Zheheng Hong
EXHIBITION, LANDSCAPE, & INTERIOR DESIGN
Design Director: Dan Su, Yue Zhang(Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Chief Designer: Yi Du (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Exhibition Design: Yanyang Zhou, Danqing Shi (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Landscape Design: Xiaosheng Cui ( Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Interior Design: Jiansong Wang (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Installation Design: Danqing Shi, Feng Xian (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Light Design: Yi Du (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
Visual Identity Design: Xin Gu (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University)
PROJECT DESIGN
Design Inspiration: Harmony between city and nature
Landscape: A wheat field representing China’s agricultural traditions surrounds the pavilion
Interior: A series of interactive exhibits provide visitors with a view of China’s past, present and future
MATERIALS PALETTE
Bamboo: 1,052 bamboo roof panels fabricated from 85 kilometers of bamboo strips; there are 287 different sizes and shapes of roof panels
Wood: 266 cubic meters of glulam timber structure (made from Norway Spruce) weighing 120,375 kilograms
DIMENSIONS
Length and Width: 77.4 meters long by 36.5 meters wide
Floor Area: 4000 square meters (covered and enclosed space)
Roof Span: 36 meters in the main exhibition space
Size of Site: 4,590 square meters
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