On Nov. 26, 2007, Korea won its bid to host the 2012 World Expo in its southern coastal city of Yeosu in 2012, beating Tangiers of Morocco and Wroclaw of Poland. The winner was chosen in a secret ballot by delegates of member nations of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) at its general assembly in Paris.
During the international event, scheduled from May 12 to Aug. 12, 2012, the Expo 2012 Yeosu plans to adopt an international manifesto, the Yeosu Declaration, to celebrate humanity’s efforts to find sustainable ways to develop the ocean and to create an international consensus in support of the Expo’s theme, “The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities.”
Peddle Thorpe Architects (PTA) submission for the thematic pavilion of the World EXPO 2012 in Yeosu, Korea is resolved as a vessel – a floating exhibition space that can be sailed to other cities. It represents an evolution of architecture – a futuristic adaptable living building that can adjust to the unknowable future, encouraging multidisciplinary problem solving through sustainable solutions.
The overall concept presents a schematic design which is alive, adaptive and reactive to its oceanic environments. Anchored to the coastline as if a living organism, rising and falling with the tides, the pavilion illustrates the bond and interdependence of the ocean with its coastal eco system. The architectural form draws on the contours and fluidity of oceanic organisms, presenting a new paradigm of living architecture.
Yeosu is an emerging city, and this piece of architecture can be seen as the vessel to carry the metaphor of change like an ark to the new world, sending a positive message to future generations, and offering a platform for people to collaborate and create. The idea is that sustainability and conservation would run through the design approach. With its open interior, the pavilion could continued use of the pavilion with the ability to host a range of events even after the World EXPO has finished. The design which was developed by Antoine Damery for PTA, will promote dialogue and encourage collaboration between asia pacific countries about the importance of the preservation of oceans and ecosystems.
From the architects:
‘The pavilion is prototypical architecture, drawing from the multidisciplinary source of product design- urban planning-architecture and naval design. The pavilion is resolved as a vessel – a floating exhibition space that can be sailed to other cities. It’s an evolution of architecture- a futuristic adaptable living building that can adapt to suit an unknowable future. Its ingenuity will encourage multidisciplinary problem solving through sustainable solutions.
The concept, as presented, allows for the evolution of the schematic design which is alive, adaptive, and reactive to its oceanic environments. It aims to create a strong expression of the exhibition theme “The Living Ocean and Coast”. Anchored to the coastline as if a living organism, rising and falling with the tides, the Pavilion illustrates the strong bond and interdependence of the ocean and the coastal eco system. The design sequesters the theoretical sciences and biology, taking contours from fluid dynamics and oceanic organisms showing the previously static building model to be outdated welcoming a new paradigm of living architecture. The pavilion becomes a vessel filled with analogous relationships to technology and marine life.
Ocean conservation at an international and regional scale will be given an iconic beacon with its extensive exhibition program, promoting the commitment and efforts of Yesou and Korea in exploring environmental issues beyond the 2012 World Expo. “Fluid” the Amphibian pavilion will promote dialogue and encourage collaboration between Asia pacific countries about the importance of the preservation of oceans and ecosystem.
Re Use Plan
The pavilion is designed as an environmental statement, to survive the World EXPO. It is essential to keep on promoting ocean conservation beyond the world expo period through a planned exhibition program.
At the end of the expo, the pavilion would then be dragged by tug boat through marine routes onto another city as part as the itinerary exhibition / scientific research program. It will remain in a different city for a period of 4 to 6 months. The multi media exhibition will be continuously evolving throughout its journey promoting the latest environmental innovations. The pavilion will also be used as a hub for scientists all over Asia, allowing for forums, lectures and experiments to be held, allowing for the exchange of ideas on oceanic environmental concerns and issues.
Yeosu is centrally located in the eastern Asian region, half way between Japan and China. The city is ideally situated on the Korean coast (equal distance between the east and west coasts). With its multitude of islands and the bay, the waters of Japan and maritime routes between the main cities are protected.’
Three types of exhibition routes are proposed:
Korean Tour in the main seaside cities:
East Tour (1.5 years) – Busan, Ulsan, Pohang and Sokcho
West Tour (1.5 years) – Jeju Mokpo, Incheon and Seoul
Japanese Tour (3 years):
Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama,Tokyo and Sapporo
Chinese & Taiwanese Tour (1-2 years):
Shanghai, Fuzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Hong Kong and Shenzhen
