“balancity”, the title of the German contribution, is
devoted to the subject of “balance” within the framework of the Expos’s motto
“Better city, Better Life”. It looks at the equilibrium that the sustaining
elements of a city must form in order to make it a place worth living in. At
first sight, this balance can be seen in the pavilion – in its balance between
the separate construction elements. When looked at separately, they seem
unstable. As an ensemble, they hold each other in perfect equilibrium,
expressing the “balancity” concept through architecture.
Cantilevered polygonal elements form levitating exhibition
spaces and landscapes that interlace with the interior. They reveal individual
“layers of earth” and show a new energy source in the shape of solar wafers.
The façade of the German Pavilion is covered by a transparent textile skin. The
silver fabric with its subtle glow supports climate control, offering shade and
reflecting up to 80 per cent of the solar radiation. The architecture
integrates innovative and intelligent materials which can take on several functions
and increase the building’s sustainability.
As a walk-through sculpture, the German Pavilion
expresses the variety of life in the city – for today and tomorrow.
Credits:
Deutscher Pavilon balancity Expo 2010 Shanghai
Architektur: Schmidhuber + Kaindl / Ausstellung: Milla & Partner; Foto: Andreas Keller, Altdorf