Spanish Pavilion is covered in handcrafted wicker panels.(Source: China Daily)
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- It isn't your ordinary building. Spain's World Expo pavilion resembles a giant rattan basket, complete with 25,000 meters of steel tubing and 8,524 handmade wicker panels.
Migueln, a 6.5 meter baby, greets tourists.
"Rattan is a natural fibre used by artisans in both the East and the West, so it symbolizes a connection between Spain and China," said Maria Tena, the pavilion's general commissioner.
The structure's inner rooms were designed by Spanish cinema directors Bigas Luna, Basilio Martin Patino and Isabel Coixet. They highlight national origins, cities and children.
Each room is 2,500 sq m, and depicts the recent changes Spain's urban areas have undergone. A featured slogan reads, "From the city of our parents to the city of our children."
Departing visitors are bid farewell by Miguelin, a 6.5 meter baby. The high-tech infant breaths, blinks and gestures. Organizers hope he will remind crowds of Spain's dreams for its future. .
"Our aim is to transmit a contemporary and modern image of our nation to the Chinese public," Tena said.
The pavilion hosts a variety of events on the Expo's main stage, including film screenings, dance performances and theater. Each week is dedicated to a different autonomous community in Spain.
