The team which put together the New Zealand pavilion put a distinctly antipodean twist on the Expo theme: 'Better City - Better Life'.
Project director Mike Pattison explains:
"We aim to make more of an emotional connection with visitors to the Pavilion, rather than simply putting an experience in front of them... we invite people to touch the greenstone, or take a bit of time walking through the garden."
The Pavilion's distinctive wedge shaped canopy serves a highly practical purpose:
"It gives protection from heavy rain in June and fierce heat in July and August."
Putting the pavilion together
Watch video interview with Mike Pattison
The visitor experience was put together by Wellington-based Story Inc. whose past credits include the River of Life exhibition in Bangkok and the Lord of the Rings trilogy exhibition - as well as the New Zealand pavilion at the last World Expo held in Aichi, Japan.
Story Inc co-director and partner Steve La Hood said that while the 100% Pure message at Aichi was good for tourism, the focus of the Shanghai pavilion was promoting an economy with new ideas.
“Ours are among the world’s most enviable cities with their access to nature while being successful in the business world as well – they are nestled in nature and we wanted to reflect those environments in steps through a day in the life of our cities from dawn to dusk.”
Telling the New Zealand story
Read more about Story Inc
New Zealand's commissioner-general at the Expo, Philip Gibson, stresses the benefits the pavilion will provide for New Zealand businesses:
“New Zealand’s presence in Shanghai presents a strategic opportunity to present ‘New Zealand Inc’ to China and the rest of the world.
"This is not a trade fair – it’s bigger than that. Our pavilion showcases New Zealand as a clean, green, vibrant, smart, innovative, great place to do business, for education, or to visit as a tourist.”
There is a series of planned activities and events around the Expo that will directly help New Zealand businesses:
“We have more than 200 functions already booked at the VIP pavilion, involving nearly 7000 guests, each of whom will experience the very best of New Zealand’s food and beverage. This represents significant use of the pavilion as leverage for participating companies."
The Expo effect
Read more about business benefits of the Expo
