UK Pavilion - Heatherwick Studio

Heatherwick Studio designed the UK Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Exhibition. The Hero Image (above) is striking - Thomas Heatherwick describes it as the only building they have designed that looks more like a render than the actual render.

The Seed Cathedral sits in the centre of the UK Pavilion’s site, 20 metres in height, formed from 60,000 slender transparent fibre optic rods, each 7.5 metres long and each encasing one or more seeds at its tip. During the day, they draw daylight inwards to illuminate the interior. At night, light sources inside each rod allow the whole structure to glow. As the wind moves past, the building and its optic “hairs” gently move to create a dynamic effect.


The detail (below), the 7.5m long 'hairs' are embedded with seeds that frame the interior space, creating a unique aesthetic and light quality. Once inside the space reads like a narrative, exploring the elements that frame the external facade.

Thomas Heatherwick on designing the UK pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010 from Dezeen on Vimeo.