USA Pavilion - Hannover Expo 2000

Hannover, Germany, 1998

In April of 1998, SITE was selected by The US State Department to design the USA Pavilion for Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany. The American exhibit is a celebration of the themes of diversity and opportunity in the USA. Its public spaces are designed as a microcosm of the country - a tapestry of America - where the plaza level and roof plane fuse together in a patchwork collage of varied materials and landscapes. This design approach takes advantage of the building’s dramatic aerial visibility from an overhead cable car system. For a visitor standing in the main esplanade, the entire structure appears to be a sweeping microcosm of the USA, tilted upward toward the sky. As an expansion of this concept, the pavilion is separated by an undulating 10-meter wide walkway (inspired by the famous Route 66 built in 1926 to link Chicago to California). In compliance with the EXPO 2000 environmental policies, the building also includes demonstration exhibits of photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, fuel cells, wind power, and rammed earth construction. Theme-related exhibits extend the tapestry references throughout the interior spaces and exhibitions.