It has 60,000 spikes, each 7.4m long and containing a seed from Kew Gardens’ Millennium Seed Bank

The innovative and unusual Pavilion design was developed by one of the UK’s leading creative talents – Thomas Heatherwick and it promises to delight the 40,000 visitors who will visit it each day of the six month Expo. It has over 60,000 transparent rods which extend through the walls and move in the breeze. Seeds from the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens are embedded in each of these rods to make a beautiful seed cathedral which will go on to be dismantled and given to children across China.

There will also be a wide range of cultural performances from musicians, actors, street performers and dancers who will entertain visitors to the Pavilion and will showcase the best of British talent and originality. Some of these performances will take place in the open space around the central cube of the Pavilion area, and people will be able to rest and relax in what is otherwise a crowded site. The theme of the Expo is “Better City, Better Life” and the UK Pavilion has truly stuck to that theme, encouraging people to stop and look, and by using open space and recyclable materials.

The business and cultural programmes, together with the UK Expo website, and actual Pavilion are expected to reach millions of people over the Expo period (May to October). Visitors throughout China and internationally will be able to make a virtual visit to the UK Pavilion online to access information on the UK and find out what it would be like to invest, work or study here.