Finland Pavilion

The country's exhibit will be based on the theme "Sharing Inspiration," promoting ideas on how to improve people's living standards.

Kirnu also means an exchange of ideas, and Finland welcomes suggestions for a better life from the world, Huitu said.

The pavilion will be built on a 3,000-square-meter plot. The three-story building, which will include a restaurant serving Finnish food, will look like a huge white bowl and will be surrounded by a lake. The "bowl" will appear to be floating on the water, said chief designer Teemu Kurkela.

Visitors will be able to do some sky watching at the pavilion, as it will be an open-air structure, with a covering for rainy days. Kurkela said he wanted to give visitors the relaxing feeling of lying on an island and watching the sky.

The Finnish government hopes to dismantle the pavilion after the Expo and move it to other places in China, Huitu said, using it as a restaurant, office building or library.

"The construction will be a reminder of the inspiration of Finland," he added.

The Finnish government has allocated about 14 million euros (US$18 million) for its participation of the Expo.