Norwegian Pavilion - Powered by Nature

The very first world Expo was in Hyde Park in London in 1851 and showed the British Empire at the height of its economic and political strength. The Shanghai EXPO will be held at a time when the world is looking for a new kind of balance and at a time when China in an unprecedented way is emerging as a global player. It is Norway hope and ambition that EXPO 2010 will help us build new as well as consolidate and strengthen existing relations between China and Norway. EXPO 2010 will be a meeting ground for politics, civic society, as well as, industry, 
research, tourism and culture.

For most people in Norway, City life is determined by the city's relationship with the nature in and around the city. It is through this approach to city and nature that Norway will address the EXPO theme 'Better City, Better Life'. Nature experienced as source of inspiration, recreation and pure physical energy is what Norway wants to share with the visitors who comes the Norwegian pavilion. In Norway the cities are few and small but every Norwegian city has one quality in common. Be it the sea, the mountain or the forest. Norwegian cities all exist in a close relationship with nature. 

The pavilion’s exterior has a sharp and purely aesthetic expression. The roof rises and falls dramatically giving associations to the ocean, coast and mountains or glaciers, depending on the eyes and imagination of the spectator. Helen & Hard Architetcs together with Sweco Engineering and Melvær & Lien Idea entrepreneurs won the competition of designing Norway’s contribution. The concept focuses on how energy and power from nature influence people and the relationship between urban areas and the surrounding areas.

Inside the pavilion

Inside the pavilion the audience will be introduced to the Norwegian landscape. The nature will alternate between being the framework for various stories about Norwegian ways of life and cities, to be the main message and attraction itself. The audience will see how Norway utilizes natural resources and they will also get a glance at Norwegian science, research and innovation.

The coast : the first landscape is the coast, focusing on sustainable use of energy. How utilising renewable energy like the sun, wind and wave power can improve the quality of the air and climate in urban areas will be shown and explained. 

The forest : from the coast line the audience is led into the Norwegian forest and to the “Tree of Knowledge”. This is where the Norwegian Science milieu will exhibit and display various projects and visions for collaboration with China and other countries. It will be emphasised how sharing of knowledge between Norway and China can lead to new and sustainable solutions.

The fjords : the Norwegian fjord will illustrate the life- important relationship between man and water; and how pollution affects the water and techniques of how water can be purified.  

The mountains : in the pavilion, where the mountain meets the fjords 
there is a business centre with a view over the landscape. Here conferences, seminars and other events will be held. 

The Arctic : the last landscape is The Arctic. In an open, beautiful, but dramatic landscape food safety, nutrition and climate will be the themes. There will also be a restaurant in this area where the visitors can taste Norwegian food products like salmon, reindeer and lamb, and drink pure Norwegian drinking water, Norwegian aquavit and fish-oil (tran).

The trees : With the pavilion, Norway invites China  to re-explore the use of wood in load-bearing structures. Already in 1958 in Brussels, Norway participated with a pavilion made of laminated wood designed by world renowned architect Sverre Fehn. This time architect firm Helen & Hard makes a remarkable effort to reintroduce laminated wood to the world and achieves this by using 15 highly stylised models of Norwegian trees brought together to complete the pavilion. The trees are of various heights and the roots of each tree are built into the foundation. Each tree has four branches and 
varies from five to 15 metres in height. From the tips of the branches a canvas is strapped and dragged giving the roof a dramatic span. From within the 
pavilion the construction will give an airy and spacious feeling.After the EXPO ends in October 2010 the idea is to relocate the 15 trees in groups or individually around China. They will represent lasting monuments of Norway’s participation at EXPO 2010, sustainability and the importance of nature for humans. Laminated wood is widely used in Norway and Norway wants to transfer its knowledge and technology in the hope that tree construction will be reintroduced in China.