THE EXPO-AXIS Gates in Shanghai, China by SBA International

70 Million expected visitors were welcomed by the entrance building of Stuttgart architects SBA International on EXPO 2010.

On 1 May 2010, EXPO 2010 was opened in Shanghai. The EXPO-AXIS presents itself to visitors as a colourful symbol of the world exhibition and the town of Shanghai. With a length of almost 1000 meters and a width of more than 100, the EXPO-AXIS reaches from the main entrance square across the complete EXPO area and down to the banks of the Huangpu river. It is one of five buildings that will remain standing after the world exhibition to later form the centre of a new quarter of Shanghai.

Ceremony Plaza

• Architects: SBA International
• Project: THE EXPO-AXIS Gates
• Location: Shanghai, China
• Architects Team: Hong Li and Bianca Nitsch, SBA International
• Team Members: Cathrin Fischer, Reinhard Braun, Benedikt Köster, Lei Zhang
• Software used: AutoCad, InDesign, Photoshop, 3ds max, SketchUp and for the structural analysis of the membrane roof: EASY Membrane, Rhinoceros 4.0

Illumination-Sun Valley

• Roof Construction: Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering
• Energy Concept: Scholze Consulting GmbH, Leinfelden-Echterdingen
• Cooperation Partner: ECADI, Shanghai
• Constructor: Shanghai World Expo Land Holding Co., Ltd.
• Gross Floor Area: 334,000 sqm
• Projection Area Membrane Roof: 65,000 sqm
• Area Freeform Double-curved Framework: 32,000 sqm
• Energy Concept: Geothermal energy, river water usage and treatment, Rain water utilisation
• Usage: Entrance building, access control, traffic node, observation deck, information and meeting point, exhibitions and events, gastronomy, shopping, service facilities

Ceremony Plaza

The architectural and town planning office SBA International supplied the draft and plans for the EXPO-AXIS with a floor space of 334,000 sqm. In 2006, the office won the international architects’ competition. The competition was awarded for a design of the central boulevard that welcomes EXPO visitors and leads to the EXPO premises through access controls. On the subterranean levels, rooms were to be provided for gastronomy and various service facilities. The building also was to be a link for three metro stops.

Boulevard with Membraneroof

The architects drew the design plans in Stuttgart and developed the main details. During construction, they were on site in Shanghai for design supervision. The architects were supported by Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering Stuttgart/New York in planning the bearing structure for the roof construction, and by Scholze Consulting GmbH from Leinfelden-Echterdingen in the energy concept. Re-interpretation of a boulevard’s public area is the basic idea of the EXPO-AXIS. It is the architects’ contribution to the EXPO’s slogan of “better city – better life”. In this structured town layout, the borders between building and landscape dissolve. It is a mega structure consisting of manifold public spaces in human scale. In combination, they will remain in everyone’s memory as a landmark.

Exciting Interior

The structure’s main elements are the four different levels with integrated boxes, the Sun Valleys, the green ramp with its Pocket Parks, the squares at the entrance and at the water, and the membrane roof. These framework features vary over the complete length of 1000 meters and were designed and modified by the architects specifically for the special conditions of the respective site. For example,  the Sun Valley at the entrance square with its elliptic basic shape seems to grow towards the visitors, while another Sun Valley in the middle of the building emphasises the central position with its shape that is mirrored along  two axes. The complete surface of the Sun Valleys amounts of approx. 32,000 sqm and was formed by more than 10,000 steel knots, each of which is unique. The membrane roof opens towards the Expo grounds and offers visitors protection without obstructing the view of the exhibition.

Green Ramp

Only a few days after the opening, on 13 May, the EXPO-AXIS received its first award for ecologyand architecture, awarded by “Région Rhône-Alpes” and the Chinese trade journal  “Time+Architecture”.

Bird's View of the EXPO-AXIS Besides the Chinese Pavillon

Dynamic Pedestrain Ramp

Lighted oval above the Street

SBA Logo

Tags: China, Shanghai

Categories: 3dS Max, Autocad, EASY Membrane, Exhibition Center, InDesign, Photoshop, Rhino, SketchUp

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