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Germany Pavilion

Expo 2012 focuses on the world oceans with its theme “The Living Ocean and Coast.” The Germany Pavilion interprets the main theme with a balanced mix of in-depth and serious scientific information, along with fun entertainment for adults and children alike. The latest and complex research and development themes are presented in a light way, making them easy to access and understand and giving all visitors the opportunity to experience interactive and attractive displays. The pavilion presents those displays and all content in five different languages, thus catering to the international visitor profile of a world expo.

The Germany Pavilion takes the visitor on a journey from the German coast deep down to the bottom of the ocean. The pavilion bears the name “Seavolution” and is divided into three thematic environments, “Coasts,” “Biotope” (ocean ecosystems), and “Treasure Chamber” (resources on the sea bed). In the theme worlds, the visitor will go on an entertaining voyage of discovery and will be engaged through 20 interactive and playful displays. Each display uses a different way to communicate and engage the visitor. Augmented reality and a specially created smart-phone app give the visitors an opportunity to conveniently take all the thrills and information back home with them.

To help entertain queuing crowds in the waiting area in front of the pavilion, visitors are invited to download the app and test their knowledge about Germany via a quiz. A robot mascot named Han-S greets visitors, along with his little crab companion, Han-2-Beta. The two accompany visitors throughout the pavilion, appearing in the displays, and offering advice and guidance through the interactive journey.

When they enter the pavilion, a pre-show film greets visitors showing the German coasts of the North and Baltic Seas. The entire projection wall then suddenly opens up with giant rotating gates, inviting the visitor into a beach and dune landscape with multimedia beach chairs set in a sandy floor. With interactive animations, topics are presented relating to the coasts, such as environmentally friendly ships, wind and tidal power stations, and tsunami early warning systems. Special on-location photo shooting provided the giant backdrops that were carefully integrated into the architectural space and — in combination with intelligent lighting, sound design, and real fluttering flags — create an illusion of a sunny and vibrant beach scene.

Through a light trap, attendees then reach the darker thematic environment of the “Biotope” zone, where the ocean habitat is shown as the largest ecosystem on earth. Subjects such as waste in the sea and the hazards of overfishing are presented with hands-on displays. Special wall graphics show a range of living creatures which appear and disappear as the ambient lighting shifts from red to green to blue. The color changes are underlined by matching light changes in the displays themselves.

Through another light lock, the visitors discover the golden “Treasure Chamber,” which focuses on the resource diversity of the ocean floor. A several-million-year-old manganese nodule from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean is the symbol of the enormous quantities of natural resources in the deep sea that are still waiting to be extracted. Other exhibits such as the eco-friendly excavation of ores and methane hydrates show how man is currently trying to explore the sea bed, which to a large extent is still virtually unknown. The “Treasure Chamber” space is enclosed in a golden crystalline structure, and all displays are integrated in casings that resemble treasure chests.

In-depth information is provided at all display stations in the German Pavilion with many animations and film clips, avoiding the use of text panels. Over 120 film clips were especially created for the pavilion, making technical subjects easy and fun to absorb. A hidden sound system with tightly focused loudspeakers give background information in any of the 5 languages (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and German) selected by the push of a button at each display station. Every theme zone contains a special display for children, where an interactive game combines humour, fun, and subtlety to convey the basic subject matter of a particular theme — and helps young visitors to understand the more serious messages of the pavilion and its main show.

The absolute highlight of the German Pavilion is the main show, where the visitor can experience a deep sea dive set in the year 2050. Visitors experience a world premier by being totally surrounded in an immersive projection environment. Like in a glass sphere, visitors dive to the sea bed to future mining sites and experience the extraction of natural resources by robotic creatures. A 4-minute photo-realistic computer animation in six-fold HD resolution sets new standards in high-tech savvy Korea, and with a touch of humour and emotions gets children and adults alike waving at whales and sitting on the edge of clear seats set on a glass floor. A state-of-the-art sound system with 64 loudspeakers underlines the 3-D underwater experience.

With a total space of around 1,700 square metres, the Germany Pavilion stretches over 2 levels. To round off a visit, one can enjoy some traditional German food and beer in the German Restaurant and pick up a souvenir in the shop.