URBAN NOMADS IN SHANGHAI

With one week to go we arrived at the perfect time for the grand expo-showdown. While the organization was still working on reaching the goal of 70 million visitors (we were told some governmental owned companies threatened their employees with suspension if they don’t visit the expo), many of the pavilion workers were already looking forward to the end of their nerve-racking jobs. On a single day up to 1 Million people visited the Site (on the 16th of October over 1.032.800)!
The waiting time in front of the most favourite pavilions (e.g. Saudi Arabia) was up to eight hours. To avoid the queues and to get an easy access ticket some women even pretend to be pregnant by putting a pillow under their clothes.
Through our friend we were able to experience not only the official exhibitions but also got some very nice insight views on the expo-life of the international community working there. Even after closing hours in this “parallel” world within Shanghai the competition between the countries went on – this time not for the numbers of visitors but for organizing the best parties and which team is staying up the latest – the whole gossip then being discussed on www.exponights.com and the monthly expat-magazines in Shanghai.
Now two weeks later we still see EXPO signs posted on every wall that we pass in the city and printed on every product we buy in the supermarket. Only the widespread explanation “…because of the EXPO” that was used to find an answer to every miracle here has disappeared.
Now they have found a new one: DISNEY LAND - coming in 2015.


The China Pavilion - "The Crown of the East"

The UK Pavilion - "The Seed Cathedral"

The Republic of Korea Pavilion

The United Arab Emirates Pavilion - "The Power of Dreams"

"Better City, Better Life" for a better living in future urban
environments.

The Dutch Pavilion - "The Happy Street"

The Spain Pavilion

The Denmark Pavilion - "Welfairytales with the Little Mermaid"

The Austrian Pavilion - "Feel the Harmony"

We are two architecture students from the TU Vienna, who are currently doing a research in Shanghai. We are researching about global vs. local work migration in Shanghai's construction industry and want to design an architectual response to the current situation. Of course part of our research is to get to know the city of Shanghai and its everyday life. Here we are posting some impressions we are collecting during our stay in Shanghai.




essential for meetings in China - our business cards

The background illustration by contemporary Chinese artist Yang Yongliang is posted with permission.