Germany -- long a global leader in green tech -- is making a splash at Expo, and it's not all just about best urban practices and world-leading technological prowess. It's also about a good time, German beer, bratwursts and pretzels turning the German Pavilion into a summertime beer garden where visitors can mingle and relax while mulling over the pavilion's forward-thinking "Balancity" theme.

To build anticipation for Germany’s big unveiling on Expo’s May 1 opening day, the German Pavilion team brought the press out for a sneak peak of the “Depot,” “Factory,” and “Energy Source” areas of the pavilion, making sure to glaze the proverbial strudel (hmm, did that come out right?) with some yummy German finger foods and plenty of fine German beer. There are plenty of photos of the Pavilion in development below, but first, a little info.

Germany’s “Balancity” theme was chosen to showcase the diversity, dynamism and quality of life of German cities, via a collection of oddly-shaped architectural sections. The angular structures are precariously poised, remaining upright only by balancing against each other, demonstrating that diverse, incongruous elements, cultural or otherwise, can co-exist not just in peace, but create mutually beneficial, creatively vibrant relationships.

Mundane-sounding as they might be, two undoubted highlights are the “Factory” and “Depot” areas. In these, visitors interact with conveyors and x-ray systems to learn about how German companies are engaged with the Expo’s “Better City, Better Life” theme. Among the brain-twisting technologies being showcased are human-survival-ensuring organic photovoltaics (seriously, how cool does that sound?), pollutant-neutralizing roof tiles and fabric-reinforced concrete (say what?), which visitors can touch, feel and smell.

The ultimate showstopper will be the “Energy Source,” a propriety technology developed expressly for the Expo. An interactive-light-show-slash-ooh-aah-machine, you’ll have to trust us when we say that the pictures below don’t do it justice, you’ll have to see this thing in action to really appreciate it.  Check out the photos below!
 

All photos by Stephan Larose

Read ChinaTravel.net’s Germany Pavilion attraction overview

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