tea and coffee overdosed

Work is lined up all the way till mid July and yet i have no mood for anything except drinking tea and coffee. i have to force myself to work everyday (some days till wee hours) and it’s a torture. i am either still suffering from post holiday syndrome or have simply gone lazy.

“No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.” – Elbert Hubbard.

And i couldn’t agree more.

eco-friendly norway

Theme: Norway, Powered by Nature

i knew i would like this eco-friendly pavilion even before entering when i saw the theme at the entrance :-)

The semi-transparent roof made it possible for light to shine through during the day. It also collects solar energy to make the whole pavilion self-sufficient.

Interesting logo design based on the structure of the pavilion.

Different flooring patterns for each section.

Loving these sculptures that lined on top of the dividing panels.

Green messages.

Rating: Check out the fresh air!

Shanghai Expo 2010.

translucent ireland

Theme: Urban Space and the Evolution of Urban Life Style

The only image of the pavilion that i had taken from a distant and yet it turned out blur. Ha!

i like this pavilion, its spacious, green and translucent design gave a sense of freedom. Also, the sleek, clean and modern structure reminded me of architectures that were often featured in Wallpaper magazines.

Projection videos on the floor – walking through the river – passing by little fishes – floating on the ocean.

Homes of the locals.

Images of Irish cityscape and events displayed on the wall of a long corridor.

Videos on an angled screen.

Rating: Check it out

Shanghai Expo 2010.

the birth of czech and its fruits of civilization

“Welcome to the magical city of the Czech pavilion. Every block conceals an imaginative exhibit, just as Czech cities shelter their inhabitants and the fruits of their creative abilities.”

Theme: Fruits of Civilization

There are as many as twenty “blocks” interpreting the theme. i will highlight a few here.

The pavilion uses rubber puck, the main export item (also signifies the national sport, ice hockey), for its facade.

Czech’s interpretation of Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of the Chinese literature.

Metropolia by Jakub Nepras. Enter the city of the future, full of breathtaking energy and streams of people, along with their communication and thoughts. It is here that the spiritual and material wealth of the many generations living here is created and preserved.

Useful Beauty by David Solnicky and Liv Ducci Lab. These installations on the ceiling gave the viewers a different perspective of everyday objects. Every day, the beautiful, simple, ingenious and elegant objects around us bring us joy. The artistic and industrial traditions of the Czech Republic are the source of the exceptional quality of Czech design.

Czech Pearls by Pavel A. Stehlik, Jiri Cerney, Jan Malir and a collective of authors. i can stare at these kaleidoscope images for long time, they were so beautiful and addictive to look at. This kaleidoscope offers an unconventional look at twenty-five “pearls” of Czech science and culture, some of them chosen for Expo 2010 by the Czech people themselves in nation-wide voting.

Lastly, my favourite installation in the pavilion – Czech Deco by Maxim Velcovsky and Jakub Berdych. This scene, formed by porcelain figures, animals and tea sets, is a survey of the aesthetic influences that have left their mark on the tradition of Czech porcelain production. The inspiration for the famous Czech “cibulák” was an old pattern taken from China.

Update: Our lunch at Czechia restaurant – Potato soup and grilled duck with rice-taste-alike-pudding.

Rating: Check it out!

Shanghai Expo 2010.

Note: Copy in italic grey were taken from the exhibition booklet.

sensual france

Theme: The Sensual City

Showcasing the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and feel of France.

Big types by the entrance that reads Pavilion France.

At the center of the pavilion was a french-styled garden. According to the website, it was one of the pavilion highlights, but yet, we were not allowed to walk in it. How bizarre?

Chefs at work.

Each ‘column’ had a different smell but most of them i couldn’t tell.

The cute pavilion mascot – Cat Léon.

No idea what this was for. The English menu was clicked away before i had the chance to read it.

Spotted the streets of Singapore, totally unintentional.

Louis Vuitton installation. There were many people hanging around the area, refusing to leave as if there were free LV giveaways. i can’t even take a decent photo or view some of the display.

Rating: Check it out!

Shanghai Expo 2010.