World Expo 2010 Shanghai China: Spain Pavilion at Expo 2010 Shanghai

Spain Pavilion

The Spain Pavilion is one of the great attractions in Shanghai Expo 2010. Occupying an area around 6,000 square meters in Zone C of the Pudong section, the pavilion shows its creative architectural design which has won the prestigious international architecture award of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). With the applications of natural materials and advanced technologies, the pavilion features like a hand-weaved rattan basket in beautiful wave shape. That is why the pavilion is also named as the Spanish Basket. The Basket, in fact, is supported by a steel skeleton hidden in the coverage of thousands of wicker panels. The design allows a large amount of sunlight peeping into the indoor areas. Visitors will recognize the benefit of the design particularly at the final exhibition hall. There are three sections in the exhibitions to interpret the theme of the pavilion, "From the city of our parents to the City of Our Children".

The giant baby

The first part of the exhibitions is the most entertaining program. Visitors enter a dark hall which looks rather like a big cave tunnel. Movies are projected on the walls of the cave to produce a stunning effect, including stormy ocean, thunder and lightning, galloping horses, bull running festival, basketball and football matches. In between the movies, there is a staged Flamenco dancing performance. The dancing girl lies down in the dark for a rest during the movie presentation. If visitors have walked fast during this period, they may have missed the live performance. The second section of the exhibitions presents the Spanish history, culture, and urban development in the recent 60 years. Videos are projected on multiple screens hanging around the exhibition hall in different directions. In the final section, an electronic giant baby is displayed in sitting position. The robotic baby is very sweet and cute. He can breathe and turn his head. When he is blinking his eyes, soap bubbles fall down from the top of the exhibition hall. Many child visitors enjoy very much of this program.

During the period of the Shanghai World Expo 2010, Spain won the football world cup for the first time in the history. Spain made a breakthrough 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup final at South Africa on July 12, 2010. The joy of the triumph also extended to Shanghai. A banner in Chinese language "Everybody is the champion" was hoisted at the Spain Pavilion in the following morning.