Hong Kong Pavilion for Shanghai 2010 / Ida and Billy
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
The theme of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo is “Better City, Better Life”, and the special theme for the Hong Kong Pavilion is “Hong Kong – a city with unlimited potential“. A concept design competition was held in 2008 and received some 80+ submissions. Ida & Billy’s submission was awarded the Frist Prize, and formed the basis for the final design and execution by the government and another architectural firm.
Their design is driven by the functional needs of the pavilion, that is how to provide the required exhbition space and other facilities within a limited space and with a height limit; and to make the Hong Kong Pavilion, which is much smaller in size than the other pavilions, to still have its own attraction and uniqness.
More images and full architect’s description after the break.
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
This struggle between limited physical space and unlimited super-physical potential becomes the basic elements of the Hong Kong Pavilion. The pavilion represents a city with a physical boundary slashed to unfold its infinite dimension – the imaginative VOID where ideas go beyond any physical boundary.
This infinite dimension is made by infinite reflections generated by reflective membrane on its sky and floor, which also brings in the surrounding environment to give unbounded space. This VOID forms a distinctive visual element on the pavilion’s appearance and catches the visitors’ attention at distant.
The Pavilion’s sensuous skin made of polyethylene non-woven textile waves with wind and subtly altering its texture and lighting, adds a dimension on the intangible relationship between man and nature.
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
Vertically the VIOD divides the pavilion into 3 parts, which from bottom up represent the 3 levels of city development of Hong Kong.
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
The first level represents Hong Kong’s infrastructure as the foundation of Hong Kong’s success. Here visitors will first get a taste of the dense city fabric of Hong Kong by walking through large scale models of the existing and future superstructure and infrastructures.
The 2nd level represents the infinite creativity and idea exchange. Infinite reflections, interactive monitors embedded on the undulating platforms interact with LED lights on the columns, turns the space into a transparent space for information exchange. Also, this is an open platform for art performance and cultural exchange of different cultures.
The 3rd level is the highest level, the envisaged future of integration with nature and sustainable development. Under sunscreens with gentle natural light and ventilation are large projections of real-life videos of the natural wonders of Hong Kong. A video room also features documentaries on Hong Kong’s urban renewal and sustainable city development.
Through the distinctive experiences through the three levels, the visitors are called to rethink on the position of cities and the true meaning of better city and better life.
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
The plans resemble city blocks packed closely together. Small, scattered columns of different orientations are used to disolve the rigidness of structure and to enhance “floating” effect.
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
© Ida Sze & Billy Chan
nice idea but rendering lies
unboundless imagination?
I think it refers to the 1st floor which is so-called transparent void. It is possible to achieve by high-tech. However if they just make the void by glass, it is impossible to get unboundless imagination.
haha john, I just noticed that
I feel more thought could have been put into the relation and transition between these 3 ideas; no one wants to climb 10 identical flights of stairs.
The infinite reflection of mirrors is an interesting idea, but I don’t see how it really represents “unboundless imagination” [sic]. It feels more like something I&B just wanted to try, then post-rationalize. While it might gather attention as the architects describe, it is very impractical at this point, it would be very disorienting and would distract visitors from the intended program. Also, consider the way the sun would interact with this design. We’ve all played with mirrors reflecting mirrors indoors, but with sunlight involved I imagine it would be unbearably bright.
i second what you said. just what i thought too. =)
I see what you’re saying but I disagree. I don’t think it’s impractical really. To me it seems like a great introduction to the future architecture if Hong Kong is intending on heading in this kind of direction. Reality and Surrealism colliding in an elegant manner. Alot of the new architecture being erected there is similar to this.
Maybe the intention was for that area to be bright. And take into consideration the shadows that would be provided from the upper and lower solid elements. So I would be a considerable amount of sunlight, true, but I don’t think it would be a glaring distraction or anything. I the interaaction with the sun and the void would be playful, warming and enlightening–personally speaking.
I feel as though this structure is meant to interact with your visual symbolic area of your mind. not so much the calculated grounded area. That part is taken into consideration with the materials and such used but it’s really meant for you to feel and allow your mind to preceive past whats there and feel and “see” what was intended; which in turn would add an even greater experience and preception to the program and function of it all.
As for the stairs. I agree with you. But they most likely wanted to keep them as stairs because people tend to stop and take in more when they’re on an open staircase rather than and eslcalator or elevator. It goes back to being about getting the full experience of it all.
Just another side of it all. =]
I see what you’re saying. It may be too early to think about this project in terms of practical realities. The stairs and precarious lack of structure suggest this project is still in a very theoretical stage of development. With that in mind, I can appreciate the second story as embodying exchange and communication of ideas and culture. I’m still having trouble seeing the connection to imagination in this gesture. It really isn’t necessary to the message made by the building; a communication between the existing city and an idealized future makes a bold and crystal clear symbolic statement. I’d be interested in seeing how these ideas evolve and adapt to a practical realization of this design.
These renderings don’t give an accurate depiction of whether or not these ideas will be successfully conveyed, and from a technical standpoint are honestly not very impressive.
the first one of the expo 2010 that i actually like. :)