construction nearing completion on the austrian pavilion

41 days to go before the opening of the shanghai world expo 2010, and construction is
being finalized on the pavilions.

here's an update on the austrian pavilion designed by vienna based firms SPAN
and zeytinoglu architects.

the austrian pavilion called 'austria - feel the harmony' reflects the country's interaction of city,
landscape, nature, urban habitats and urban cultural landscapes through its design.
the pavilion is constructed on a 2,314 m2 site area. within the ground floor,
there is an exhibition area (more than 500 m2) with a stage positioned in the main room
to be used for various events. in all of the exhibition rooms, there will be staged multimedia
performances projected onto ceilings, walls and floors. the ground floor also houses the austria shop
and information counter.


construction nearing completion on the austrian pavilion


the support frame going up


austrian pavilion nearing construction


back view




detail of fascade


detail of fascade


entrance to the pavilion


rendering of the pavilion restaurant






rendering of the restaurant bar




rendering of the VIP area


rooftop terrace / garden


rendering of the austrian pavilion

inside the pavilion's entrance area, there will be a kind of 'geographical orientation guide' -
from shanghai to austria:


on top of the highest mountains with snow and ice
bereich gletscher © SPAN & zeytinoglu architects

the first stage of the exhibition space presents a mountain pass-like ascent with snow
and ice covered surfaces with temperatures close to freezing point. acoustic elements
such as crunching snow or breaking ice will help amplify the experience.


water in all its forms and shapes
bereich gletscher © SPAN & zeytinoglu architects

visitors can experience 'water in all its forms and shapes', wandering across woody hills,
along a path of water acoustically and optically outlined, from the river danube to the calm
and relaxed waves of the austrian lakes.


a walk through the woods
bereich gletscher © SPAN & zeytinoglu architects

'a walk through the woods', reflects the importance of the forest as a local recreation area
and a space for leisure activities for the city dwellers. here, the clear air and the atmosphere of the
woods will be experienced, through smell, sounds and virtual animals inhabiting the forest.


arriving in the city
bereich gletscher © SPAN & zeytinoglu architects

'arriving in the city', is the area of the pavilion where visitors leave the landscape and nature
of austria behind and enter centre of vienna. sounds of music from such composers as mozart
will be heard, and traffic will move to the rhythm of the waltz. images for this section
are completed by the thematic integration of topics contributing to a 'better city',
environmental technologies, alternative energies and mobility in urban areas.