USA Pavilion, National pavilion at Shanghai World Expo, China.
The USA Pavilion, designed by Clive Grout, occupied 6,000 square metres in Zone C of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Its exterior resembled an eagle about to take flight, a reference to the American national symbol. Inside, two levels held four theatres, and a video wall outside carried rainwater from the roof collection system down as a waterfall.
The pavilion was built for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai and showcased American innovation and advancement. It attracted millions of visitors and represented cultural exchange between the United States and China during this major international event.
The main attraction was "The Garden", an eight-minute 4-D film about a 10-year-old girl who turns a vacant city lot into a pocket park. It ran on five 10-metre screens with 833 lighting cues, plus mist and vibrating seats, and had no dialogue, so visitors of any language understood it.
The building had information desks, gift shops, and accessible facilities for visitors with mobility needs. The layout of exhibition spaces across different floors allowed for a natural flow through the displays.
The pavilion's exterior was shaped like an eagle with spread wings, a reference to the American national symbol. After Expo 2010, the building and those of Brazil, Colombia and Peru were converted in 2013 into an aviation theme park displaying a reassembled Boeing 747 (formerly N681UP); the park has since closed.
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