FABRICATION: Rice Perry Ellis & Partners, Rimond Middle East General Contracting, Turner & Townsend
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Neumann & Meuller, Nga Tangata Tiaki o Whanganui, Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi, Haumi, Workshop e, Mott MacDonald, Kaynemaile Architectural Mesh, Lightworks, Special Group
PHOTOS: New Zealand Pavilion
The New Zealand Pavilion, dubbed Aotearoa, is delivered through the theme “Care for People and Place,” which is based on the indigenous environmental ethos of “kaitiakitanga,” the inextricable connection and responsibility between people and the natural world. The expression of this theme has been carefully interwoven into the external and internal aspects of the pavilion, taking visitors on a journey of intrigue, connectivity, and sustainability. Additionally, the theme was inspired by the fact New Zealand is the first country to give legal status to a body of water, officially recognizing the Whanganui River as a living and indivisible whole, called Te Awa Tapua, in 2017.
Upon approaching the pavilion, guests sense both awe and wonder in the form of a vibration exuding from the space like an aural pulse that resonates and indicates an incredible, immersive experience is ahead. The façade showcases an innovative material manufactured in New Zealand: a lightweight polycarbonate mesh that is 100-percent recyclable and includes recycled materials in its composition. The mesh was originally developed for use by actors in the iconic film “Lord of the Rings,” which was filmed in New Zealand, so costumes would have the look (but not the weight) of authentic chain mail.
Acting as a narrator, the Whanganui River provides the key storytelling device for the visitor experience, positioning the river as a living thing representative of nature’s wellbeing. Through sound, vision, and other sensory aspects, guests are drawn into a deep, immersive experience. Each space within the pavilion is designed to give visitors the sense that they have crossed into a different place.
In the Welcome Space, visitors’ movements are digitally mapped onto the walls as they interact with and disrupt digital particles meant to symbolize the river’s pulse and underscoring how our presence has an impact on nature. This is accomplished using Kinekt 3-D depth cameras positioned evenly around the corridor.
In the River Room, guests are introduced to the physical representation of the Whanganui River. In this darkened space, sheets of water fall nearly 30 feet from ceiling to floor. Guests are transfixed by the cathedral-like- height of the waterfall while small droplets of water rain down upon them. In the center of the expanse is a dramatically lit Mauri stone, brought from the upper reaches of Mount Tongariro, where the main stem of the river rises.
Finally, in the Presentation Room, attendees are once again transported and challenged. External walls provide large-scale projected imagery, while a ribbon-like cube hangs from the ceiling as a kinetic, sculptural element that adds dimensionality to the immersive space. Guests must physically move around the room to capture scenes and experience sounds as the space alternates and changes to facilitate the patterns of each chapter. Attendees leave with a new understanding of how New Zealand is unique.
