Oriental Crown, Splendid China

Time : 2009-07-09

Flavor of the China Pavilion for Expo 2010
The China Pavilion, the Expo 2010 landmark building that attracts worldwide attentions, is unveiled to the public. Located in the core area within the Expo Site, the China Pavilion consists of the 20,000-square-meter Chinese National Pavilion, the 30,000--square--meter Regional Joint Pavilion and the 3,000--square-meter self-built Pavilions of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. The traditional Chinese archi-cultural elements, such as the Dougong brackets on roof structure and nine--folded scripts engraved on the elevations will be introduced to reflect and convey Chinese people's dream and longing for World Expo.
National pavilions are places for official participants to present themselves in the world exposition. The pavilion of the hosting country always attracts much more attentions. The China Pavilion is deemed as a tough and key point in preparation for Expo 2010. It will be one of the major exhibition areas and carriers to demonstrate the Expo theme and convey the Chinese people's best wish and anticipation to the Expo.

Chinese Wisdom: Chinese Architects Actively Participate in the Design.
On April 25, 2007, the Organizer of Expo 2010 launched the open solicitation for architectural design plan of the China Pavilion for World Expo 2010 Shanghai China. In the following several months, the Organizer received 344 submittals from Chinese architects and/or design teams all over the world.

After several rounds of selection, three plans were finally determined, which were reviewed and approved at the fifth meeting of Shanghai 2010 World Exposition National Organizing Committee held in September 2007. According to the review comments made at the meeting, the Organizer set up a professional team to make a detail and optimal design based on the "oriental crown" concept (submitted by the South China University of Technology) and the "nine--folded script" scheme (created by a joint team from Tsinghua University and Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd.).

Theme Presentation: Annotation to Civilization of the City and Human Habitat in the 21st Century
Expo 2010 will be the first universal exposition with a "city" theme. In this regard, the China Pavilion shall deduce the civilization of the City and human habitat in the 21st century in the Chinese way. During the Expo, the Chinese National Pavilion, with the theme "Better City, Better Life" will present the "Chinese wisdom in urban development" as well as a great "roadmap" that indicates the history of civilization in Chinese cities. The Regional Joint Pavilion will provide proper exhibition areas for 31 domestic provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions to make a distinctive show, including the achievements in urban development. After the six--month Expo, the Chinese National Pavilion will serve as a cultural base to hold Chinese culture and art exhibitions. The Regional Joint Pavilion will become a standard exhibition hall. As a whole, the China Pavilion, together with the adjacent theme pavilions will be transformed into a building complex to host various exhibitions and activities; it will also echo other surrounding Expo buildings to build a complex of modern service industry, mainly covering conferences, exhibitions, and activities, etc.

One-Yuan Donation: Agglomeration of the Sincere Affections of Chinese People to Their Homeland
In addition to the open solicitation of architectural design plan, the Organizer welcomes the participation of all Chinese people (home and abroad) in the building, operation and exhibition of the China Pavilion. Construction of the eye-catching structure, also known as "the Crown of the East", started on December 18, 2007. The China Pavilion donation program was launched the same day. The donations can be of one-Yuan to let people have a chance to make a contribution to the Expo.

At the Expo mascot unveiling ceremony on December 18, 2007, the Organizer announced the first public donations to the China Pavilion. The first awarded donation people include representatives of overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao, private entrepreneurs, representatives of large state-owned industrial and financial corporations, religious officials, as well as common office staff, model workers, and even elementary school students. The China Pavilion for Expo 2010 will agglomerate the affections and supports of Chinese people from all over the world.