Troika has been commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to create three new art installations for UK’s Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo to be displayed alongside the main UK pavilion; the Seed Cathedral, designed by Heatherwick Studio.
Set in the centre of a soft and open surrounding landscape, the Seed Cathedral presents a striking visual spectacle. The Seed Cathedral is a 20m high building formed by 60,000 slender acrylic rods which organically wave with the wind, each encapsulating plant seeds to create a breath-taking display of the world biodiversity.
Instead of a classical exhibition design, Troika devised a narrative concept consisting of 3 immersive and multilayered installations, GREEN CITY, OPEN CITY and LIVING CITY, inviting the visitors to experience the pavilion through all their senses. In each walkway leading to and away from the SEED CATHEDRAL unfolds an installation, part of a triptyque narrative presenting the relationship between Nature and the British cities, past, present and future.
Within this narrative, the Seed Cathedral embodies the 'now'. The first and second walkways present the UK's longstanding tradition of integrating Nature within the urban environment. The third installation, concluding the pavilion experience, explores possible visions for the future, proposing how nature can be used as a catalyst for urban innovation.
OPEN CITY
The second installation, 'Open City', attempts to convey how permeable the typical UK city is to the natural elements. Generally widespread and low-built, with very few shopping malls and sheltered developments, British cities feel transparent and open.
The sight of the sky is rarely obscured, and dwellers directly experience the weather, the wind, the fog and the rain.
The second walkway presents a city floating in the sky, open and transparent. To carry the experience of walking in a UK city, we chose to recreate a selection of 300 traditional UK buildings, cast in transparent resin and hung from the canopy. Completing this installation are clusters of small lighting devices suspended from the ceiling and called 'light rain engines', which we specially designed for the pavilion. These devices project on the floor of the walkway a series of animated raindrops rendered in a vibrant, rainbow coloured light. From the gentle drizzle to the heavy rain, the light raindrops create a beautiful and playful environment.
Location:
Shanghai, China
Public Opening:
1st May 2010 - 31st October 2010
© Troika, 2010