Kirnu

The Finnish pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 is called Kirnu (“Giant's kettle”). Designed by JKMM, an architect's office in Helsinki, Kirnu
won first prize in the design competition announced in May 2008, which
received 104 entries in all. The results were made public on 6 October
in Helsinki. The following description of the Kirnu concept is based on the designers’ own delineation of their proposal for the competition.

Miniature city

The Finnish pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 portrays our
country in miniature, presenting both Finland and its society to the
world. The aim of the pavilion's sculptural architecture is to create
visions of freedom, creativity and innovation for the future. The
pavilion will rise from the water as an island-like miniature city. A
bridge leads visitors over the water into the pavilion, the heart of
which consists of the miniature city’s centre and a forum for events, “Kirnu”, where ideas can meet and mix.

Nature

The architecture of the pavilion draws its inspiration from Finnish
nature. Elements of nature are reinterpreted in the pavilion, like the
shape of small rocks found on coastal islands, the surface of a fish,
reflections on water, a framed view of the sky and the smell of tar on
wood. Like nature, the pavilion offers a quiet refuge from busy city
life for anyone who wishes to enter.

Experience

The pavilion floats over water, white and ethereal. A thin film of
water cools the air flow around the pavilion. The delicate, scale-like
surface structure is gradually revealed when approaching the building.
A smooth bridge leads towards the entrance, whose warm wood surfaces
form a shady and inviting portal to the pavilion. Visitors next arrive
at the forum, Kirnu. Sheer walls made of fabric rise towards
the sky. The displays and lighting fixtures integrated into the floor
create a virtual exhibition that visitors walk over. A gently sloping
ramp ascends within the thick walls of Kirnu towards the
exhibition hall, a high space that winds around the atrium. After the
exhibition hall, the ramp continues downward to the exit, shop and
restaurant.

Activities

Activities and facilities are clearly and accessibly located in the pavilion. The ground floor houses the Kirnu
forum, a restaurant, shop, cloakroom, public restrooms and storage
spaces. Visits to the shop and restaurant can be made after the
exhibition without traffic flows crossing one another. The VIP entry is
located away from the main entrance. The basic design enables big
crowds to move smoothly around the exciting spaces. Entertainment,
meeting and staff facilities can be found on the third floor.

Good life

The pavilion’s main goal is to present a vision of ‘Good Life’. The
six pillars of good life are freedom, creativity, innovation, community
spirit, health and nature, all of which have been integrated into the
pavilion’s architecture; its spatial and functional solutions. The
sculptural design represents the freedom and creativity in construction
enabled by technology. Innovation has been introduced into the project
in the form of clarity, but also in technical details. The pavilion
winds around the forum, making the coming-together of people and
community spirit part of the building’s basic design. The natural
elements of water and sky are an abstract part of the architecture. A
comfortable and inspiring miniature city, the pavilion also provides an
example of a healthy environment. People, nature and technology come
together in it. The pavilion offers a forum for discussions about the
development policies of a better life.

Construction process

A 3D computer model will be created to assist the construction
process. The pavilion’s load-bearing vertical structures are made of
steel. The façade consists of narrow elements, which will be assembled
on site. The horizontal structures are made of wooden casing elements
and the floors of sub-plates. Wood/plate structures will be used for
the inner lining. The outer façade will be covered with scaly, modern
shingles made of paper/plastic composite sheet, which is an industrial
recycled product. The atrium walls and some of the walls on the second
floor are made of fabric. The atrium can be covered with a transparent
fabric. The stairs and lift will be constructed from individual
elements. All of the construction elements will be made in such a way
that the building can be disassembled and re-assembled.

Sustainable construction

The big challenge in the near future is to find methods for city
construction that are sustainable and preserve natural resources. The
pavilion is a laboratory for sustainable building, presenting Finnish
solutions for future urban construction. The goal is to develop
energy-efficient, low-emission and environmentally friendly solutions
in terms of construction method and maintenance properties. The design
incorporates, for example, renewable energy sources. Solar panels on
the roof power cooling devices in the hottest season. The electric
panels feed electricity directly into the building network or store it
in batteries. Natural ventilation is used to reduce the need for
mechanical ventilation. The supply air can be collected at water level
underneath the house. The thick atrium wall forms a natural flue and
encases the spiralling entrance ramp. Opening wall and ceiling hatches
enhance natural ventilation, and the heat stress caused by the sun is
reduced by the direction of facilities, the use of light surfaces and
the structure of windows. The planted roof can be used to even out the
heat load. Rain water is collected on the roof and conducted to a basin
in the yard. Geothermal heating is also made use of. The construction
materials are selected so that construction generates as few greenhouse
gas emissions as possible. The loading, reuse and recycling of
materials will be analysed for the entire life cycle of the pavilion.