“Prototype for tomorrow’s metropolis” is quite the bold claim. That’s exactly what the French Pavilion for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 aspired to be. We are standing before what was once the French Pavilion. It is also known as \u67ab\u4e39\u767d\u9732\u4ead.
Imagine a space where nature meets technical innovation. Picture a place where the pleasures of city living are celebrated. This pavilion sought to embody that synthesis. Its aim was to showcase a vision of urban life. It focused on harmony between the environment and technology.
The French Pavilion covered 6000 square meters. It was designed as a built landscape. It was constructed around three concepts. These were a lake, a mineral grid and a vertical garden. The pavilion appeared to float over water. This was achieved by suspending it from a sensual yet structural grid. This grid reached a height of 20 meters. It was a steel lacework mantilla capped in white concrete. The construction met seismic standards. It provided a perfect illustration of French engineering.
At its heart, a large patio opened to visitors. Here a formal French garden unfolded vertically. It presented itself as an unexpected theatre of greenery. This was reflected in a mirror pool. Queuing visitors experienced a cool oasis. The interplay of light and shade offered a sensual experience. Waiting became part of the attraction.
The exhibition route began on the top floor. A ramp wound gently down around the garden. The landscape became central to the urban issue. The pavilion aimed at Chinese visitors. The visit lasted only 15 minutes. It emphasized dialogue between China and France. The underlying theme was the city of the senses. Taste, smell, touch, hearing and sight were highlighted. These senses are shared by Western and Chinese sensibilities.
The Sensual City opened a discussion. It was about the desirable future of the world’s great metropolises. It envisioned a future where urban dwellers are the focus of technology. This vision went beyond sustainable development. It incorporated the desire and pleasures of city living. The metropolis should be a natural landscape. It should be a setting where all senses can be exercised.
The scenography illustrated balance. It was between technology and sensuality. It was between creation and permanence. It was between city and countryside. A video fresco led visitors through French urban environments. It was based on eight major themes. These were city and climate, city and gastronomy and city and nature. Also city and the future, city and the sky and city and movement. And finally city and the night and city and water. This fresco was 250 meters long. It interspersed with multi-sensorial installations. These installations concentrated on the five senses.
The scenography provided a generous vision of the city. It was a serene and confident approach to the 21st century. It showed change and invention. They went hand in hand with freedom and cultural identity. Humanism and the pleasures of city living were celebrated.
The French Pavilion for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 aimed high. It sought to be more than an exhibition stand. It tried to be an example of architecture. It could be adapted to other uses beyond the Expo. So think about this vision. As you explore Shanghai, consider how its elements reflect in this modern city.