| Interview:
The Pavilion that Never Was |
 When you see the impressive structures on display at Expo 2010, you can only imagine the myriad designs concepts that were passed over and never fabricated. EXHIBITOR takes you inside one of those pavilions that never came to fruition. Jochen Simon of D’art Design Gruppe GmbH explains the innovative concept his firm pitched for the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2010, and why he thinks Switzerland opted for a safer, more conventional approach.
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 EXHIBITOR Magazine: How did you become involved in designing concepts for the Swiss pavilion?
Jochen Simon: Together with the architectural office Agirbas & Wienstroer, we decided to take part in the public competition for the design concept of the Swiss pavilion at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai. In total, more than 100 design offices took part in the competition.
EM: Tell me about the inspiration behind the design you presented for the pavilion.
JS: Switzerland is a country that presents itself to the outside as a reserved and reticent state, which could have invented the word understatement. Rather than relying on clichés like Swiss cheese, clocks, or similar things with regard to the country’s external image, we wanted to visualize its gentle reservation architectonically: Instead of showing off with a gigantic, towering structure, we offered Switzerland a concept that highlighted depth and introspection. The working title was “Visualization of the Nothing.” Our concept illustrates the idea of an invisible, but definitely experiential, Swiss pavilion. On the one hand, a simple expanse of water mirrors signifies Swiss properties of reservation and understatement. Only the Swiss flag reveals the pavilion’s identity. On the other hand, the expanse of water is the beginning of a multifaceted multimedia illustration of the true inner  values of Switzerland with — literally — more depth: The design’s exhibition contents are hidden in the ground, beneath the surface. The deeper a visitor enters into the pavilion, the more the exhibition topics disconnect from the country’s cliché-like caricatures.
EM: What elements from your original proposal for the Swiss pavilion were you most excited about?
JS: The simple expanse of water, which is the first thing that represents Switzerland, evolves into a huge waterfall in the inside of the pavilion that is built into the ground. This waterfalls plunges from the overflowing expanse of water into the depths of the space. Apart from that, the natural element offers a subtle association to the country’s Alps and glaciers. The walkabout on which the visitors advance further and further into the pavilion’s underground construction meanders continuously alongside the waterfall. That is not only an  architectural element, but — as I see it — a very nice reference to the breathtaking Swiss natural phenomena: With the Rhine Falls waterfalls, Switzerland has the largest waterfalls in Europe!
EM: Unfortunately, your design was never fabricated, as the Swiss chose a different design. Have you had a chance to visit the completed pavilion on site in Shanghai, China?
JS: Yes, we had the opportunity to visit the Expo in Shanghai. And thus we have, of course, seen the realized project for Switzerland.
 EM: Why do you think the Swiss didn’t select the concept presented by D’art?
JS: Our project would have required major construction efforts and significantly higher costs due to the excavations.
EM: In the trade show world, there are countless exhibit designs that never make it to fabrication for one reason or another. It’s such a waste of creative talent and energy. How much time and resources did you devote to this project? And were you able to recoup any of that, despite the fact that the Swiss did not select your design?
JS: From the very beginning of the project we were conscious of the risk that we might not be able to win with this restrained and at the same time highly innovative idea. That didn’t stop us from pursuing our concept, since it closely mirrors our design strength: passionate and content-related design that implies a visualized process as well as a profound involvement of the visitors with the exhibition’s contents. Thus the work on the project cost us  very many hours, but in the end we were the only participants in the competition who were rewarded with a special award in form of an acquisition by the Swiss Confederation.
EM: In your opinion, did the Swiss make a mistake in selecting the design they ultimately fabricated in Shanghai? Or do you think the pavilion they selected had an edge over the concept presented by D’art?
JS: Of course we are convinced of the fact that our spatial understatement for Switzerland would have opened up completely new perspectives to the visitors among all the architectonic EXPO giants. However, it is understandable that familiar images of Switzerland were chosen and preference was given to the entertainment character with a cable car for visitors from all over the world, just to play it safe.
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