CAMPUS GERMANY – based on this motto the German Pavilion is presented at Expo 2020 in the Sustainability theme area. The guiding metaphor of the campus presents the pavilion as a place of knowledge, research, exchange and encounter. Here, people can actively participate and experience themselves as part of a big community, working together for a sustainable future. At Campus Germany, the EXPO motto comes alive: "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future".
Architecture The architecture of the German Pavilion – designed by LAVA Architekten Berlin – translates the guiding principle of the campus into the vertical: an ensemble of building sections is enclosed by a common structure, same as a park frames a campus. The multitude of structures represents federalism, the diversity of economy and research, but also the diversity of German society.
The structures are grouped around a generous atrium: a green, open space with many surprising perspectives and visual axis. This creates a democratic, transparent place – multi-layered, diverse, varied and enlivened, a place for people. The building itself becomes an exhibit through many innovations and shows exemplary sustainable solutions, especially through the innovative climate concept, the aspect of lightweight construction and the great importance of circularity in the choice and processing of the used materials.
Going through the pavilion, visitors encounter many aspects of a campus: By entering the building, they are "matriculated" and receive their own name tag. This small gesture establishes the spirit of the campus: everyone is equal, everyone can be addressed.
An "introductory event" introduces the metaphor of the campus and conveys its scientific basis: the idea of the Anthropocene. In the "Welcome Hall," Germany presents itself as the engine of sustainability, surprisingly staged in form of a giant ball pool. The 100,000 balls turn out as information carriers. Each ball tells a short story, presents a fact or introduces a person or a project from Germany that is committed to sustainability.
Energy Lab
Future City Lab
Biodiversity Lab
Future City Lab
After the exhibition, visitors complete the actual "curriculum" of the Campus. In the "Energy Lab" they discover solutions for the energy supply and storage of the future trough dark, pulsating energy pipes, in the "Future City Lab" they become part of an all-encompassing urban landscape, and in the "Biodiversity Lab" visitors experience the beauty, vulnerability and also the economic value of nature under a giant mobile.
The conclusion of the dramaturgy is the "Graduation Hall": a show on swings! Guests from all over the world experience: If they work together – for example, swinging together – they can achieve much more than they think they can. A surprising finale that awakens great emotions and inspires hope. The exhibition architecture of the German Pavilion deliberately plays with people's desire for big pictures. Spatial atmospheres are condensed in such a way that they immersively encompass the visitors, they are "instagramable". And open the perception for the innovations and solutions that are conveyed with a multitude of exhibits.
Personalization The German Pavilion at EXPO 2020 responds individually to each guest: anyone approaching an exhibit is greeted by name – in their own language. If two or more people of different languages engage with an exhibit at the same time, the exhibit switches to bilingual or trilingual mode. Moreover the exhibits respond to each guest in terms of content, for example by integrating information from his or her country of origin into the narrative. In addition, the guests are repeatedly invited to contribute their opinions. In this way, diverse opinions are created that become part of the spatial stagings and bring one's own convictions into surprising contexts. The exhibition responds intelligently to its visitors. They experience the exhibition individually matching to their needs.
Children A special selection of exhibits is aimed at children: the "Globy" character developed for the exhibition serves as a guide and repeatedly presents little surprises. The children's exhibits were developed together with the inventor of the factual stories, Armin Maiwald, who also appears in the accompanying explanatory videos.
Prozess
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Sketches become reality. Thanks to our extensive experience with world exhibitions, we can reliably realize our ideas. We create impressive immersive spaces and experiences within the given budget and often very tight timing with a defined opening date.
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Team and Client On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK), Koelnmesse as the implementing company (DFG) was responsible for the organization and operation of the German Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. Responsible for concept, planning and realization of the German Pavilion were the "Working Group German Pavilion EXPO 2020 Dubai" consisting of the two companies facts and fiction and NUSSLI. Here, facts and fiction was responsible for the content concept as well as the exhibition and media design, NUSSLI for the structural implementation. LAVA Architekten (Berlin) was responsible for the architecture and spatial concept on behalf of the working group.
In the mood for a virtual visit to the pavilion? Follow this link!
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