World Expo 2010
The architecture on display in Shanghai is diverse, at times beautiful, often surprising and always interesting. Here are 35 favorite pavilions after my first day

China When you're the host country, you get to build the biggest pavilion. Every photo I've seen of China's Expo HQ doesn't do its incredible scale justice. See those little dots at the base? Those are people. John Mahoney

The primary draw at any World Expo is the architecture--almost every country in the world is here, and they all want to stand out. Match that desire with top-shelf architects and big government budgets, and some amazing things can happen. Without further ado, a photo guide to the best pavilions I've seen so far at Expo 2010 in Shanghai:

Launch the gallery by clicking the thumbnails above. And stay tuned for more Expo 2010 coverage all week long.

7 Comments

Hurray! First hockey now modern architecture! Canada beat America again!

@.45

The American pavilion was designed by a Canadian architect, so Canada is responsible for that travesty.

What's even worse is that if you go to the Shanghai expo site and take a look at the press release for the EPCOT reject US pavilion, it reads like one of those gutless PC/greenie weenie corporate-speak releases.

How disgustingly bland and soulless can they be...

For the backstory explaining why the US Pavilion
turned out as it did, read the Huffington Post,
"'Blackwatering' Public Diplomacy: The US Pavilion
at the Shanghai World Expo," May 3, 2010

(I can't enter the link, but here are its pieces:
http : // huff DOT to / HuffPo-Pavilion /)

Read it and weep.

But isn't that Danish Pavilion something!

It is surprising that countries as indebted and war-torn as Afghanistan are capable of producing such beautiful pavilions.

well the good thing is the tax payers did not pay for the U.S. expo site, given Iceland has a great site they are broke and don't seem to care. The U.S had a hard time with the money issue because companies Like coke, Pepsi and Mc Donalds all spread the money around the expo instead of putting it in one place.

The countries that spent big hope that the Chinese will love a country and go see the country. The whole thing ends in 6 months and will all be torn down. Dropping $5 million to $10 million is crazy for 6 months.

Luke
www.ddsclub.com in Shanghai

The U.S. pavillion was built by business, and features only stuff we sell. That's all there is to America, so far as the world can see.

The government should finance at least 10% of these pavillions, so it can have an input on displaying our scientific and cultural achievements.


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