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Preliminary conceptual project for the competition for the Exhibit Pavilion of the Republic of Serbia at the World Exhibition Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China
The Pavilion of the
With its specific form treatment and materialization, with its relation between the transparent base and the massive block above, it creates tension which provokes curiosity and interest in revealing its contents and getting to know them. The dark monolithic block with its irregular rims paneled with “granitex” plaques suggests the steadiness and solidity of the genuine forms of the basic material, older than any of today’s political concepts or of those in the past, not ever losing its essence.
“Floating” above the basic level on which people move it gives access from all sides and for all. It is erected above the transparent staircases with glass stairs which symbolically and instinctively suggest an invitation to go upstairs to the “upper” interactive level of the exhibiting character. There, when the visitor starts walking, the electronic signal activates video information which is instantly projected from the plaques in the central, internal part of the monolith as of the most intimate part, the heart of our “Balkan rock”, under a corresponding angle in relation with the place in which the visitor is. While walking he chooses unmarked areas and intuitively gets acquainted with our natural and cultural wealth, our technical potentials, our history, outstanding individuals… as well as our hopes and expectations, our modern views and the future we long for. All this is basically linked with cities and countries which represent the scenes of our contemporary life.
This technical and aesthetic solution makes it possible to activate pure colours and sounds in the period of the “happy-hour” thus enhancing the universal scenario with the possibility to create a picture and a sound, which will, we firmly believe, contribute to the attractiveness and charm of the Pavilion.
The successive change of pictures, which is a powerful and universal form of communication, makes the visitors wish to stay longer in that central, lifted part of the Pavilion so promoting it into a modern agora. With this high level of interaction the Serbian Pavilion communicates the idea that we are a modern country, but also a territory with very defined identity, orientated towards a dialogue and whose functionality, tone and colour of the content greatly depend on the presence of people, those that belong to any culture or, colour, with different political views and attitudes. One just has to take a step and the presentation starts and so does a dialogue.
The level of the ground floor can be seen from far away but the access to it is suggested only when the use of the stairs going up is initiated. In one part there are a kitchen, sanitary facilities and management premises and VIP parlors for the visitors with specific interests in business and other forms of cooperation in the other. In the central part of the ground floor there are also places to degust our national dishes and beverages.
On both levels there is a special access for the handicapped either through a directly cut-in entrance into the ground floor level or by a platform lift to the interactive exhibit space.
There are two marks of national identity. The first is the word “Srbija” in Serbian, in the low left hand corner of the front façade, “carved into the monolith” and lit by white, interior, indirect light. The second is “Serbian three-colour flag” with a metallic wavy roof in colour for easier orientation, identification and marketing of the Pavilion by means of digital browser and programmes such as Google Earth, for example.
We would very much like to present one possible scenario for the message we want to send to the world: To create a better life, in better cities it is imperative to have a democratic space orientated towards connecting ideas, making new friends and strengthening associations.
Leading Designers: Nikola Arsenic
Ueslei Bonin
Designers: Henrique Gonçalves
Colleages: Hugo Rezende
Pavilhão Sérvio - H. Gonçalves, N. Arsenic e U. Bonin
Loja FORMA - Paulo Mendes da Rocha
2001: Uma Odisséia no Espaço - Stanley Kubrick