German pavilion

[worldfairs]

From the coast to the ocean floor
The German Pavilion at the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea

International Exhibition is dedicated to the theme of "The Living Ocean and Coast"
German Pavilion offers an attractive mixture of information and entertainment
Hamburg, 16 June 2011 – The visitors to the International Exhibition 2012 in the South
Korean coastal city of Yeosu, can go on a virtual undersea voyage in a futuristic research
vehicle in the German Pavilion. The Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea from 12 May until 12 August
2012 is under the motto of “The Living Ocean and Coast – Diversity of Resources and
Sustainable Activities”. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, which looks
back on a long experience and tradition of participations in International Exhibitions, is
responsible for the German Pavilion. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
has mandated Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC) as the organising company, as
already previously with the EXPO 2008 Zaragoza.

Dietmar Schmitz, from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, as Commissioner
of Section, the top representative of the German Pavilion: “International Exhibitions are
events with a high level of experience character. While they previously mainly served as a
display window of technical progress and the industrial efficiency of the participating
countries, today, solution approaches from industry, business, research and development
are presented on a global theme.”

A selection committee comprised of representatives from federal ministries, federal agencies,
research institutions, associations, committees and HMC, selected the concept regarding the
content design of the German Pavilion at the end of May, within the context of contract award
procedure, from nine designs. The concept by the bidding consortium, facts+fiction GmbH
(Cologne) and GTP Architekten (Düsseldorf), was selected. “With the German Pavilion, we
will offer an attractive and balanced combination of experience and information for specialists
and the general public”, explains Dietmar Schmitz, who is also the Head of the Trade Fair
Policy/Expo Participations department in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
The German Pavilion at the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea will be divided into three main thematic
environments, “Coasts”, “Biotope” (Ecosystem Ocean) and “Treasure Chamber”
(Resources). In the derived theme worlds, the visitors will go on an entertaining voyage of
discovery and will be directly integrated into the activities through interactive elements.
Already in the waiting area in front of the pavilion, they can test themselves on their
knowledge about Germany with a quiz. When they enter the pavilion, a brief film awaits them
about the German coasts of the North Sea and Baltic Sea and the large harbours, including
HafenCity Hamburg.

Then, the visitors enter a dune landscape with multimedia beach chairs. With projections and
animations, themes regarding “coasts”, as well as environmentally friendly ships, tidal
turbines and Tsunami early warning systems are dealt with. Through a light trap, the visitors
then reach the thematic environment of “Biotope”, where they can find out about the ocean
habitat, as the largest ecosystem on Earth, in the replica of a control console of a research
submarine. Aspects are presented, such as deep-sea fishing and the hazards of overfishing,
marine litter, as well as climate change and its consequences for the oceans.

Behind another light trap, the visitors are received by a “Treasure Chamber” comprised of
two semi-circular rooms, at the centre of which, a 500-gram manganese nodule from the
floor of the Central Pacific Ocean represents deep-sea mining. Manganese nodules are
found on the ocean floor at depths of between 4,000 and 6,000 metres. Research sensors in
original size show the means currently used by mankind to explore the marine environment.
In animations, the visitors find out about the future possibilities of environmentally friendly
undersea mining of ores, methane hydrates and other resources. As a highlight, the visitors
are finally awaited by an animated expedition in a futuristic deep-sea vehicle. Thanks to a
spectacular 360°projection in 3D, they feel as though they are floating in a glass ball and
encounter, inter alia, a the legendary giant octopus.

With the German Pavilion at the Expo 2012, the Federal Republic of Germany will present
itself as an attractive, modern and cosmopolitan country, which is an international leader with
regard to the theme of the International Exhibition. Innovative technologies and approaches
will be presented, which can contribute to current and future challenges in relation to
mastering protection of the coasts and oceans. On a total space of around 1,700 square
metres, in addition to the exhibition area, the German Pavilion is also comprised of a
souvenir shop and a restaurant with typical German dishes.

The Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea belongs to the category of (small) International Exhibitions
“recognised” by the BIE (Bureau International des Exposition) and is dedicated to the theme
of “The Living Ocean and Coast – Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities” from 12
May until 12 August 2012. Yeosu is situated in the mountainous south coast of Korea and
has a population of around 320,000. The municipal area is divided across a peninsula and
more than 300 islands. The 25-hectare exhibition space of the 174-hectare Expo site is
located near the harbour. The German Pavilion is situated together with the other national
pavilions in the so-called International Pavilion. The Expo organisers expect up to eight
million visitors.

Additional information and image material is available for downloading at [url]http://www.expo2012-
deutschland.de[/url]

Contact: Frank Bumann, Press Officer German Pavilion
Tel.: 040 / 85399891, 0160 / 3850343, E-mail: press@expo2012-germany.com