At the Drawing Table

The building uses simple geometric shapes and light colors while incorporating a pair of outstretched wings into its design. These extensions represent one of America’s most powerful symbols, the eagle, and also serve as gestures of openness and embrace.

“We wanted to send the message that America is committed to being accessible and welcoming to all,” Grout said.

The USA Pavilion is built, in part, with low-emissivity glass and aluminum panels. these materials reflect the sky and suggest the importance of the environment in the Pavilions architecture. The building proudly employs many environmentally friendly features, including an urban roof garden, solar panels, and energy-saving lights.

{pullquote}We wanted to send the message that America is committed to being accessible and welcoming to all.{/pullquote}

Outside in the main plaza, a large LED screen and expansive stage area greet guests while a waterfall helps cool the air and 50 fully-grown trees protect fairgoers from the sun and the heat of Shanghai’s summer days.

Around 3,500 guests will pass through the Pavilion’s turnstiles every hour. Inside, a friendly layout permits the visitors to easily access entertainment, including a 4-D spectacle, before visiting exhibits, savoring American snacks and purchasing souvenirs and other collectibles. At the end of their journey, Pavilion-goers will conveniently  exit back into the plaza so they can meet up with friends or continue on with their Expo experience.

Said Grout, summing up the vision behind his design: “The Expo theme is about building better cities. We wanted to develop a building that would be a simple model for low-rise development that could be built in the urban core of any city. One reflecting the latest technology, incorporating the natural environment, and having simple forms and elegance with a strong welcome statement.”