Expo 2010 Shanghai < Highlights < Research & Innovation: Lafarge

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Expo 2010 Shanghai

France Pavilion

The Expo brings together 200 countries and international organizations and is forecast to receive 100 million visitors. With 10 million visitors expected at the France Pavilion, 95% of whom will be Chinese, Lafarge is taking advantage of a unique opportunity for direct access to the Chinese population.

Lafarge at the World Expo: “Better City, Better Life”

With its demographic growth and constantly increasing rate of urbanization, China has considerable housing and infrastructure needs. The country is therefore looking to build, but differently, by incorporating environmental constraints.

The Shanghai World Expo has therefore been given the theme of the city - "Better Cities, Better Life". Urban planning, architecture and sustainable construction are at the heart of the exhibition.

These issues reflect the Group's priorities and it is therefore partnering the event in order to:

contribute to consideration of the new challenges for urban planning practices,
promote innovative, environmentally-friendly solutions, adapted to the problems faced by Chinese cities.

Testimonial

Bruno Lafont, CEO and Chairman of the Group: "Why the 2010 Expo? China's dynamism and the theme of innovation led me to commit Lafarge to this major event, which promotes one of the major preoccupations of this early 21st century: living in harmony with your environment.

Innovations in China

The France Pavilion: the “Sensual City”

Technical sheet

The France Pavilion:

Main contractor: Cofres SAS,
Project management and layout design: Jacques Ferrier Architectures,
Landscape designer: TER agency,
Structural engineering consultant: C&E Ingénierie, Jean-Marc Weill,
HEQ Consultant: Tribu, Alain Bornarel,
Fluids engineering consultant: Barbanel Ingénierie,
Acoustics specialist: Peutz,
City: Shanghai, China,
Delivery: May 1st, 2010,
Surface area: 6000m².

Full technical sheet (P.D.F - 24 Kb)

10 million visitors

Among all countries represented, the France Pavilion has reached 10.2 million visitors, with more than 60,000 persons per day. It has been the most visited Pavilion of the Expo before that of China with 8 million visitors, those of the US and Turkey - 7 millions - and that of the Czech Republic - 5 millions.

Lafarge is a partner of the France Pavilion. The pavilion, whose theme is "Sensual City", embodies Lafarge's vision of an innovative and sustainable architecture.

Designed by architect Jacques Ferrier, the building offers a new type of urban construction:

positioned on a lake, its concrete mesh and vertical gardens are all symbols of architectural innovation,
six senses are focused on: taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing and balance/movement.

This vision of urban development ties in with that of Lafarge, which aims to be a key player in sustainable construction, offering building materials and construction methods with a reduced environmental footprint.

Lafarge has a dedicated area inside the Pavilion:

there the Group is presenting its business in China, its products and innovative, environmentally-friendly construction solutions which are adapted to the issues facing Chinese cities,
made from ultra-high performance Ductal® concrete and PLAtec®, a decorative gypsum solution, Lafarge's dedicated area inside the pavilion is devoted to touch.

Lafarge, leading material supplier at the Expo
Besides the France Pavilion, Lafarge supplied 510,000 m² of plasterboard for 17 other buildings and pavilions, such as the China Pavilion. Lafarge and the Expo pavilions	Tools Register: Bookmark: