France Pavilion

France unveiled a national pavilion with a simple look on March 28,2008, but huge budget, for World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The model of the selected design has been on display in the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, along with other three prize-awarded works in the design competition of France Pavilion.

Xu Bo (left), director of the International Participation Department of the Bureau of World Expo Coordination, Jose Freches (center), president of COFRES, and Thierry Mathou, consul general of France in Shanghai, cut the ribbon at the opening of exhibition.[en.expo2010.cn]

The final design "the Sensual City," selected from 49 candidates, presented a simple building with a big French-style garden inside. Surrounded by water, it appears to be floating, said Jose Freches, president of COFRES, the company in charge of France's participation.

The French government has allocated a record 50 million euros (552 million yuan) budget for the national pavilion. "As far as I know, it is the highest among all participants," said Xu Bo, director of the International Participation Department of the Bureau of World Expo Coordination.

At least 80 percent of the total budget will be used in constructing the 6,000-square-meter pavilion, said Freches.

The France Pavilion, designed by Jacques Ferrier and his team, provides a unique opportunity to reinforce France's image in China. All the talents and financial forces will be gathered to make it real, said French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a statement when he decided to pick this design.

The France Pavilion is unique in terms of both form and technologies. It will present France's contribution in the sustainable urban development for one of the biggest economic metropolises in the planet, Sarkozy said.

An artistic rendition of the France Pavilion.[en.expo2010.cn]

He said the pavilion would use the most advanced building materials and environmental protection technology. It will be a shining example of energy efficiency and recycling techniques, according to the official Website of French Pavilion.

Though the design had already been selected, the country still brought all the four finalists in the design competition to Shanghai.

The applicants have spent a lot of time on the pavilion and all of them are excellent and innovative both in form and concept, Freches said.

An artistic rendition of the France Pavilion.[en.expo2010.cn]

"We want to listen to the opinions of Shanghai residents, about the content of the exhibition in the France Pavilion especially. We want to make it a pavilion for Chinese people."

The other three exhibiting projects are called "The Pavilion of France," "The Pavilion of Diversities," and" The Sky of Descartes."

The exhibition will be open until April 6.