SHANGHAI EXPO 2010 FINLAND PAVILION: KIRNU

The Finnish pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010 is called “Kirnu” (“Giant’s Kettle”). It is designed by architect’s office JKMM, based in Helsinki.

Plans

General information

Building: Shanghai EXPO 2010 Finland Pavilion “Kirnu”
Total Area:3000 m2 brutto
Levels: 3
Location: Shanghai EXPO
Type: Exhibition Building
Schedule: Competition 1st Prize October 2008
Design October 2008-December 2009
Construction April 2009- December 2009

Building Organization

Client:
Finpro Client Helsinki, Finland

Building Management:
Lemcon China Project Manager Shanghai

Architects and engineers:
JKMM Architects Architectural Design Helsinki, Finland

Facades & Sections

Design and construction

The pavilion has been designed totally by computer, using the latest 3D modeling techniques. The Finnish Tekla program was used for designing the structures. In the design and construction of the building, the successful close cooperation between Finnish and Chinese professionals has been a wonderful experience.

Sustainable development

The big challenge for the near future is to find methods for city construction that are sustainable and preserve natural resources. The pavilion is a laboratory for sustainable building, presenting Finnish solutions for future urban construction and keeping to the principles of sustainable development.

The life cycle of the pavilion building is made as long as possible. After the expo, the building will be sold and put to a new use. As regards design, the life span of the building can be extended through development of flexible, high-quality solutions. The pavilion will be dismantled, then reassembled in a new location. All of the steel elements in the basic structure are joined by bolts, so that the building can be disassembled with ease. It is also possible to add new stories to the building if its future function so requires. Thanks to its high technical quality and creative concept, the building has a long life expectancy.

Energy consumption will be minimized. The heat stress caused by the sun is reduced by the direction in which facilities face, the use of light surfaces, and the structure of the windows. Natural ventilation is used, to reduce the need for mechanical ventilation. The thick atrium wall forms a natural flue, and the building materials and construction methods have been selected with the aim of minimizing CO2 emissions. Reuse and recycling of materials will be maximized for the entire life cycle of the building. The most visible example of this is the building’s facade, which is surfaced in scale-like shingles. These scales are made of a mixture of paper and plastic, which is a recycled product of industry. Thus waste is recycled through creation of a new construction material from it: paper–plastic composite. Paper has been made waterproof.

The pavilion is an example of how the built environment can contribute to increasing social capital. A society that lives by the principles of sustainable development requires not only economic capital but also social capital. Social capital is also a prerequisite for a competitive society. Competitiveness, in turn, enables a life in accordance with sustainable development. The built environment creates the physical framework for this process. The aim is to build inspiring places where future innovations and human networks are born.