English Press Release

Launch of Design World Pavilion
Floriade 2012

VENLO -  On the 16th of December the Foundation World Pavilion presented the designs of the World Pavilion. It is the third permanent building planned to be built on the industrial estate Green Park in Venlo, the Netherlands, where the World Hurticulture Exhibition Floriade will take place in 2012.
The futuristic pavilion consists of two large twelve meter high buildings, built according to the BetonBallon (Concrete Balloon) principle. The building is unique and an architectonical tour de force. It is an environmentally friendly and durable building, balancing the appearance and the intrinsic values. Furthermore the building is a real life example applicable to developing countries. For the building of the pavilion 1.2 million euro is needed, the furnishing will take a further one million euro.
The World Pavilion will be an instructive and recreational experience centre; global education for young and old. Subjects, such as development cooperation, millennium goals, durability, solidarity, fair trade, cradle-to-cradle and horticulture will receive attention in an entertaining way. The empathy studios are an important aspects of the World Pavilion. Here a town, village or country side of a southern country will be recreated and adults as well as children will be able to imagine in a role play what it would be like to live in such a country. Modern means of communication will be used as well, thus enabling visitors to be in direct contact – word and image -  with villages and cities in the Third World. During the Floriade the World Pavilion will give shelter to submissions of countries in the Third World. The World Pavilion is an initiative of the global groups from North Limburg, COS Limburg and is supported by the region Venlo and the province of Limburg. The Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation, Bert Koeners, embraces the plans and is looking for ways to support this unique project.

The Foundation World Pavilion has chosen the innovative architectural firm BB-Con from Vught to realize the building. They developed the successful BetonBallon construction. The concept means that concrete will be sprayed on a pre-shaped balloon. As soon as the concrete has hardened, it is a matter of deflating the balloon and the building is erect. The concept is simple, innovative, environmentally friendly, durable and of good quality. The concept has been taken from the chain line method, used by the Spanish architect Gaudí in Barcelona. Fabricating the shell costs relatively little time and material. A prototype can be seen at the Technical University in Eindhoven.
The BB-concept leads to material saving of more than fifty percent for non-reinforced structures, with a significant lowering of costs as a consequence. During the building process a CO2 reduction of minimum seventy percent will be obtained. Additionally, the vaulted shape of the building is very advantageous for catching sun energy. Consequently a significant reduction of CO2 can also be realized in exploitation of the building. The World Pavilion is one of the first buildings in the world built according to the BetonBallon-concept.

World Pavilion
At the moment the design of the World Pavilion consists of two buildings of respectively 600 m2 and 400 m2, connected by a third smaller building of approximately 100 m2. Both large buildings will be made by the same balloon, but by cutting off a part two separate buildings emerge, both different in size. The buildings will be put towards each other in such a way that a concealed courtyard can be created.

It is important that all buildings can be furnished in a multifunctional manner. One building will be focused on educational tasks, the other on recreational ones, enabling to receive large groups during and after the Floriade for e.g. congresses, world festivals and team building events.

Artist Impression: The two main buildings of the World Pavilion with the smaller building (the possible extension)

Further Information:
Rob van Hoven (Director BB-Con Vught): +31 73 657 1227 mobile =31 621 851 904
www.bb-con.com

René Poels (Chairman World Pavilion: +31 478 698 241 of mobile +31 629 479 110
www.wereldpaviljoen.com