By Editor Design.nl / 07-10-2008

'Better City, Better Life'

May 2010 will see the largest ever World Expo take place in China, with 200 participating countries and 70 million visitors expected to attend. The Amsterdam-based design studio Kossmann.dejong in partnership with Hypsos Leisure Asia from Hong Kong have won the international competition for the exhibition design & build of the 'Urbanian Pavilion', one of the five Theme Pavilions at the World Expo Shanghai 2010.

At present half of the world's population lives in a city. This is expected to grow to 75% by 2050. Every day 150,000 people leave the countryside to find a better life in the city. It is in the face of this development that the chosen theme for this World Expo is "Better City, Better Life". The theme presents a new way of thinking, new technologies and new practices to realise a healthy and sustainable urban life.

The exhibition design for the 'Urbanian Pavilion' focuses on the sub-theme 'urban population'. According to Herman Kossmann, director of the design studio, it is a challenging subject for an exhibition. "We're going to use a unique way of gathering content for the exhibition, during 7 months we will follow the daily life of a number of families in 10 different cities around the world". The total area of the ‘Urbanian Pavilion’ will amount to 14.000 sqm, with an internal height of 22 meters.

The Shanghai World Expo will run for 6 months and open it's doors on 1st May 2010.

Main image: Overall impression of the Urbanian Pavilion
Image: Impression of the subtheme 'Learn'
Image: Impression of the subtheme 'Health'
Image: Impression of the subtheme 'Home'

Add to favorites