Expo Axis

	People's Republic of China
Coordinates	31°11′09″N 121°29′17″E / 31.185733°N 121.487986°E
Construction started	2006
Completed	2010
Inaugurated	May 1, 2010
Client	Shanghai World EXPO Land Holding Co. Ltd., Shanghai
Dimensions
Other dimensions	Projection area Membrane roof:; 65,000 m2; Span:; 100 m; Area freeform double-curved framework:; 32,000 m2; Dimension boulevard:; 100 × 1,000 m
Technical details
Floor area	334,000 m2
Design and construction
Architecture firm	SBA International Stuttgart / Shanghai; Cooperation:; ECADI, Shanghai
Structural engineer	Knippers Helbig KHIng Gmbh; Stuttgart / New York City

The Expo Axis is one of the world's largest membrane roofs. It spanned the entrance and boulevard building of the World Exposition 2010 in Shanghai.

The combination of the membrane structure, which has a surface of 65,000 m² in total with a span of 100 m, and the six steelglass funnels of 45 m height, formed of a freeform double-curved framework, constitutes the landmark of the Expo Shanghai 2010.^[1]

Structure

Besides the

China Pavilion, the Expo Axis is the largest and most significant building on the site. It forms the central entrance area and provides 334,000 m² effective area for numerous facilities. Via the about 1 km long and about 100m wide axis, which stretches across the entire site to the Huangpu River

, the visitors are guided to the various national and theme-based pavilions.

The Expo Axis and its boulevard is one of five buildings which remain after the end of the world expo to form the centre of a new urban district of Shanghai.

The Expo Axis is covered by a membrane roof with a total surface of 65,000 m², currently the largest of its kind in the world. The roof is carried by 19 interior and 31 exterior masts and by six funnel shaped framework shells consisting of steel and glass. It has a height of 45 m and a free projection of 80 m. These so-called Sun Valleys direct natural LED light below.

The design and development of the structure originate from SBA International and

American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal

.

Gallery

Building site
Column head
Completed Construction of Expo Axis in December 2009
Expo Axis, May 2010
Expo Axis, May 2010
Expo Axis, May 2010
Sun Valley Expo Axis, May 2010
Membrane Construction Expo Axis, May 2010

References

^ "Knippers Helbig - Advanced Engineering - Projekte / Fassaden". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2010-03-29.

External links

Official site Archived 2021-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
Press release Structural Engineer Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
SBA International

31°11′09″N 121°29′17″E / 31.1857334°N 121.4879859°E / 31.1857334; 121.4879859

[1] "Knippers Helbig - Advanced Engineering - Projekte / Fassaden". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2010-03-29.

[1]

v t e Expo 2010
Municipality of Shanghai List of participants at the Expo Shanghai 2010 History of Shanghai expo History of World Expo
Events and symbols	Opening ceremony Emblem Mascot Theme song
Pavilions and facilities	Africa joint pavilion Expo Axis Expo Cultural Center China pavilion Singapore pavilion Sweden pavilion UK pavilion USA pavilion List of pavilions
Legacy	China Art Museum Expo Mart Expo Park Hehe Xiexie Mercedes-Benz Arena Power Station of Art The River Mall World Expo Museum