HP:ICM plans Expo 2000 flood

The UK Pavilion for Expo 2000 in Hanover is being designed for the second time by exhibition design consultancy HP:ICM.

For the Humankind, Nature, Technology theme, the consultancy is flooding the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s pavilion with 3000 litres of water.

The design will feature four floating islands, each an exhibition area, interconnected by a network of bridges.

HP:ICM creative director and chairman Nigel Lloyd-Jones says: “Our treatment is not only innovative, but it also succeeds in bringing the theme for the pavilion to life in a visually stunning way.”

The British interpretation of the Expo theme is based on the idea of sustainable development, in other words those innovations which have a lasting value on the quality of life.

Its pavilion design combines the twin concepts of biodiversity and cultural diversity, and so takes the slogan, “Diversity – it’s in our nature”.

The four islands – Home of Diversity, Land of Diversity, World of Diversity and Spirit of Diversity – refer to innovations with the house, the community, the globe and the creative industries. The latter, a mainly audio-visual installation, will showcase British art, design, architecture and music.

“Each of the islands provides an opportunity to showcase British innovations and to promote the tremendous results that the UK and its partners have achieved in sustainable development, while the water serves as a reminder of the origin of all life on earth,” says Lloyd-Jones.

Between two and four million visitors are expected to attend the pavilion, which is open from 1 June to 31 October.