A one-kilometer-long and 100-meter-wide walkway will extend across the Expo site in 2010. This is the Expo Axis, the largest single building of the Expo. To unveil this majestic structure, we held an interview with the design team.

The Expo Axis is more than a simple building by its nature and dimension

According to the preliminary plan, a large-scale passage is designed, which starts from the Expo site main entrance and ends up at the Celebration Square by the Huangpu River, to connect the major exhibition areas. It will work as an “aorta” for gathering and guiding the heavy pedestrian flows during the Expo.

What does the Expo Axis look like? A specific urban space design competition, held in June 2006, attracted many world famous architectural design teams. Winner was the SBA architects from Germany. Its design plan highlighted the integration of commercial, food catering, entertainment, and exhibition services, as well as the unique concept of “green underground space”.

“When creating a small-sized building, the architect would attach more importance to the expression of the design inspirations. While, in design of the Expo Axis, we must give priority to its functions,” said Li Hong, a member of the SBA team.

According to ECADI, SBA’s Chinese partner, it’s an innovative design effort. The structure comprises of two underground levels and two aboveground levels. Each layer has its distinctive functions. In addition, the “Sun Valleys” will provide tremendous possibilities of a diversified service provision within the Expo site, such as food catering, arts show, exhibition, and entertainment, for an adequate presentation of the Expo charm.

“Sun Valleys”, the harmony among “human, nature and technology”

“The Expo Axis is around one kilometer long and 100 meters wide. It will connect several metro stations and the elevated pedestrians’ walk…” It’s a super sized space, which greatly challenges the conventional design methodology.

In retrospect, development of the design concepts was inspired by SBA’s consistent pursuit of the harmony between “human, nature and technology”, according to Bianca Nitsch, a member of the SBA team.

Six “Sun Valleys” open up to the sky, with the top as large as a soccer court for the introduction of the “essences” of nature – sunshine, air and rain drops. Everyone who visits the Expo site under construction will be astonished at the “Sun Valleys” being shaped. “The steel structure of each “Sun Valley” is composed of over 1,000 units, with six members projected from each node in different spatial dimensions.”

Huang Qiuping, an ECADI architect, spoke slowly, but what he said was shocking. “We ECADI played an important role in design of the Expo Axis, from the concepts, drawings up to the construction. We worked with several universities and engineering academicians, and spent six months developing nearly 60,000 drawings.”

Urban space, the same nature as Champs-Elysées

Profile of the Expo Axis has not so much highlights in exhibition as that of pavilions. However, demands of modern city life are well reflected in the details.

“Under the pile foundation of the Expo Axis lie a series of pipelines with a total length of 700 kilometers, via which the geotherm and river water will be introduced to maintain the area warm in winter and cool in summer. The ‘Sun Valleys’ can introduce sufficient sunshine and fresh air while collecting the rainwater in an effective way.” The design team made great efforts to create a sustainable structure for the future.

It’ll be another ideal presentation of large urban space within the Expo site. The Expo Axis, as a permanent structure for Expo 2010, will serve as a traffic hub and commercial centre after the Expo, with provision of comfortable services to people, and remind people of the memorable days during the Expo.