Idea
What issues will we be grappling with tomorrow? What does our dream of life in the future look like? Human culture is characterised by technological progress – so we have always been tempted to sneak a look into the future. 100 innovations that are set to change our lives over the next few decades will be showcased in the Youth Innovation Centre for all to see and experience. We want them to inspire young people to innovate and discover a new technological world - and generate a sense of excitement about the future. 100 futuristic exhibits have been brought together under one roof in this pavilion. Like the symbol of Shanghai - the magnolia - the seven themed rooms of the pavilion open up in the shape of a flower. The underlying design concept: this magnificent bloom represents new beginnings and a pioneering spirit, or to put it another way, young ideas and the spirit of innovation. All of the themes refer back to the motto of Expo Shanghai: ”Better City – Better Life”. In each of the seven themed rooms in the Youth Innovation Centre’s magnolia halls we will be showcasing and demonstrating futuristic innovations from the worlds of science and commerce. Visitors will leave the centre with a taste of the visions, concepts and prototypes that could bring about changes in health, food, mobility, technology, energy, lifestyle and architecture. The middle pavilion housing the top innovation highlights is an absolute must-see! And even after EXPO 2010, the innovations will continue to be on display for all the world to see: they will be presented in an online database. This joint German-Chinese project aims to promote an innovation mentality and raise awareness of the importance of innovation. In doing so the Youth Innovation Centre is expanding on an idea from the early days of the world exposition - the time before the exhibition took on the flavour of a theme park and was divided into lots of different country pavilions. At the very first world exposition in 1851, held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, the spotlight beneath the roof of that astonishing temporary structure was very much on technical fascination. On display at the first exposition were cars, cameras and much more besides, giving visitors a taste of the inventions of tomorrow and preparing them for the modern world. People came from all corners of the globe to experience the very latest innovations. Presenting innovations and young ideas from all over the world under one roof is the driving force that motivates the initiators and creators of the Youth Innovation Centre for Shanghai 2010. This ambitious project was planned and designed by German advertising agency DauthKaun of Karlsruhe and Berlin, and has been implemented in tandem with partner agencies and companies on the ground in China. DauthKaun has had a German and Chinese team working on the pavilion contents at its Berlin office who have been in touch with more than 100 companies and universities worldwide in their search for the very best innovations.