Casa Asia

Expo Shanghai 2010 is opened

Last 1st of May Expo Shanghai 2010 opened its doors, the greatest Universal Exhibition of history with the slogan A better city, a better life. 70 million people are expected -among which, 3.5 million are foreigners- to visit the exhibition until it closes, on the last day of October.

The Expo occupies 5.28 square kilometres where the official pavilions are located, as well as those of the 200 participating countries or international organisations. With SEEI, Spain attends the date in Shanghai with a pavilion designed by the architect Benedetta Tagliabue, of the studio of Barcelona EMBT, popularized in China as 'the great Spanish basket'. In addition, three Spanish cities take part directly at the Expo of Shanghai, Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao.

The Pavilion of Spain
The opening of the Pavilion has been led by the President of the Congress, José Bono, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, present owing to the Spanish presidency of the European Union. The building is highlighted for the originality and rugosity of its roof, a framework of 8524 wicker panels that were chosen by Tagliabue as a way to approach the message of sustainability of the Expo and a point of connection between Spanish and Chinese artisan traditions.

Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao
Three Spanish cities will take part in the Area of Best Urban Practices (UBPA) of Expo, out of a total of 55 cities of all over the world. Only two other countries have a double presence, France with Paris and Great Britain with London. Madrid has its own pavilion, of 2500 metres where a replica of the Casa de Bambú will be displayed, of the neighbourhood of Carabanchel and the bio-climatic trees of the Ensanche of Vallecas.

Barcelona has presented the project of regeneration of an old industrial neighbourhood of PobleNou, 22@Barcelona, and also CIutat Vella. Bilbao has presented the project Guggenheim++, which has changed the river of Bilbao.

The Mayor of Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna; the General Coordinator of Madrid Global, Ignacio Niño; and the Representative of Presidency and International Relations of the Barcelona City Council, Ignasi Cardelús attended the event. The programme included the opening of the the Pavilion of Europe (placed in the European section of the building, opposite the Spanish one), and the visit to the stands of Bilbao and Barcelona, as well as the Pavilion of Madrid, in the area of cities.

Official website of Expo Shanghai 2010

Official website of SEEI

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