Inhabitat.com reports from World Expo 2010:
BIG architects recently completed construction on the Danish Pavilion, a stunning beacon for sustainable transportation at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Conceived as an elegantly sloping circular loop, the structure is topped with a rooftop garden that holds 300 bicycles that give visitors a chance to experience Denmark’s favorite mode of transportation.
BIG’s Danish Pavilion encourages the use of pedal power and walking as sustainable methods of transportation, giving visitors a chance to experience the best aspects of Danish city life. The building is constructed from white painted steel, which reflects head to keep the interior cool throughout Shanghai’s summer. Bike paths are paved throughout the structure using a light blue surfacing texture that is also featured on Danish cycle paths. After the 2010 Shanghai Expo has run its course the Danish Pavilion can be moved and relocated to act as a hub for Shanghai’s new fleet of city bikes.
Read more: BIG Unveils Spiraling Cycling Pavilion in Shanghai
At the bottom of the spiral, Denmark has placed the famous Little Mermaid statue from Copenhagen. This statue, one of the city’s landmarks, has been transported to China. According to the Danish embassy in China, “Denmark has decided to display this renowned sculpture from Hans Christian Andersen’s most famous fairy tale at the EXPO 2010. This will allow many more Chinese to get a taste of what Denmark has to offer Chinese tourists.”
(Oh, and the USA Pavilion? In a creepy version of Logorama come to life, it is entirely corporate-sponsored. And so hideously designed that I can’t bear to post a photo. Don’t worry, your tax dollars are busy being spent on more important things, like cleaning up BP’s mess off the coast of Louisiana.)
