Shanghai's World Expo 2010 will feature a floating pavilion housing exhibits from the Netherlands.

Bart van Bueren, chief architect of DeltaSync, told China Daily the pavilion will be built on a platform anchored to the bed of the Huangpu River.

It will be placed close to Asia's tallest TV tower, Oriental Pearl, and connected to land by a causeway. The pavilion could also be dismantled and placed on land. Its design will feature four ball-shaped structures surrounding a large central sphere. They will house an auditorium, cinema, shops, bars and a restaurant.

Micheal Fremouw, chief technology officer of DeltaSync, said people will be able to open a window and fish in the river.

He said the pavilion will take into account environmental factors, the use of natural resources, and the saving of precious land.

Van Bueren said the Netherlands, much of which is below sea level, has plenty of experience building structures on water.

The pavilion will use materials such as plastics, and will be self-sufficient in water and electricity.

It will use either rainwater or water from the river. Waste water will be recycled.

Water pipes running river water will be built throughout the pavilion to reduce the temperature in the summer.

"And as all facades of the pavilion are transparent, they will be used collect solar energy for winter use," van Bueren said.

He also said the pavilion will be very stable and flooding would not be a problem.

"Devices to break waves will be built around the platform," he said.

(China Daily July 4, 2007)