Australian Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010
Australia's Contribution to China's Economic Olympics
Oct 4, 2009
Located in Zone B of the Shanghai World Expo site, the self-sealing steel walls of the Australian Pavilion will, by the time the expo opens in May 2010, have turned the deep, ochre-red of the Outback. Inside, the pavilion's exhibitions and cultural programs will aim to contrast the country's ancient landscape with its young cities, inviting visitors to use their imagination to see beyond stereotypes. The pavilion aims to express the duality of Australia's sparse, challenging interior and its densely populated cities.
The Australian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010
Designed by Melbourne-based architects Wood Marsh, in conjunction with creative design firm Think!OTS, the pavilion occupies a 4,800 square metre site. Construction began in January 2009 and the organisers expect an average of 38,000 visitors a day over the six months of the Expo. In the meantime, they have kept the pavilion in the public eye in China with a competition calling on the Chinese to choose a name for the Pavilion's kookaburra mascot. The quintessentially Australian bird, known for its laugh, has been named "Peng Peng".
The pavilion will focus on Australia's cities, in keeping with the Expo's overall theme of “Better City, Better Life”. With a sparsely populated interior, Australia is one of the world's most urbanized countries, and has had to deal with a wide range of challenges arising from a sometimes hostile environment, issues of sustainability and a diverse population.
The Australian Pavilion Experience
Visitors to the Australian Pavilion will find themselves participants in a play of three acts, called on to Journey, Discover and Enjoy.
In Act 1, titled “Journey”, visitors will learn about the history and identity of Australia, from the distant past to modern, multicultural Australia.
In Act 2, titled “Discover”, visitors can watch an audio-visual show in a 1000-seater theater in the round where they will learn about modern Australian cities and their solutions to the problems of an increasingly urban future.
Act 3, titled “Enjoy”, will provide visitors with retail shopping opportunities and the chance to sample Australian food and wine. The area is also home to the Pavilion's dedicated performance space.
The organisers are planning a wide-ranging cultural program, including a resident troupe of physical theater artistes as well as visiting performers. There will be a large scale National Day special event on 8 June 2010.
To promote Australian business in China, there will also be a full program of business events in the pavilion's VIP facility, including seminars, networking events and visits from senior government officials.
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