PICO

Pico led a multidisciplinary team providing turnkey services to conceptualise, build and operate the Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea. Leveraging on its unique position as an international city-port born from a backwater fishing village, the Singapore pavilion, with the theme ‘Paradox-ity: City of Contrast’, focused on four main content segments - waste management, urban planning, nature conservation and water management - to convey how Singapore balances growth and development with environmental sustainability.

Housed in an eight-metre high exhibition hall with a footprint of 712 sq. m., the core consideration in designing the visitor experience was to ‘go back to basics’, with a spatial, tactile and theatrical journey through the means of storytelling. A circulatory ramp layout was used as the central design point, accentuating the sense of journey and allowing for a continuous exhibition space. The meandering ramp allowed for a layered experience, while heightening the sense of anticipation as the story built to a high point at the top of the ramp.

Tactile surfaces such as a 14m long art installation wall made of recycled artifacts brought visitors back to their basic senses, interacting with the displays through sight, sound, touch and smell. The emotions and theatrics of the space were brought to life using colours and lighting, and topped off by the 21 student guides stationed throughout the pavilion, who shared anecdotes of the exhibits in Korean and English to complete the story telling.

To round out the experience, visitors also enjoyed daily live dance performances and thematic hands-on activities, as well as authentic Singapore food; enjoyed while learning about the unique dining culture of Singapore hawkers at the Food and Beverages kiosk.

With over 100 countries participating and eight million visitors expected, Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea showcased a wide range of perspectives on the diversity of mankind’s connection with the sea under the theme ‘The Living Ocean and Coast’. In addition to the Singapore Pavilion, Pico’s professional expertise was also called upon to create ten other themed and country pavilions.

Including our work at Yeosu in 2012, Pico has built up an impressive portfolio of World Expo work, creating more than 70 Expo pavilions since the 1980s.Click here to find out how to activate your brand.

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