Self-built structures want to stay

• Source: Global Times
• [10:39 May 07 2010]
• Comments

"We have never thought of this," he told the Guangzhou-based New Express.

The Global Times could not reach Goebbels for comment, but as of yesterday, Pan Ying, a spokesperson for the Luxembourg Pavilion, said that organizers had not told them that none of the self-built pavilions would stay after the Expo.

"We were casually told two years ago by organizers that a group of judges would select several pavilions to keep after the Expo, and this was repeated to us again last year," she said. "We have worked hard hoping that ours will be chosen."

"We have been so surprised to read the news saying that not even one self-built pavilion will be kept," she added.

With few staples of a World's Fair like the Eiffel Tower and the Space Needle still around today, it appears that many countries, having poured huge investments into the self-built structures, are not only hoping to make an impact during the show belonging to the world's fastest-growing economy, but also after the event closes.

"We hope that we can be one of the lucky ones chosen if any are allowed to remain exhibited at the Expo site after the show is over," Liang Huisi, a spokesperson with the Spain Pavilion, told the Global Times yesterday. "There are many other beautiful pavilions here, but we believe that our design and materials used strongly portray the theme of 'Better City, Better Life'."

The Spain Pavilion has already cost around 270 million yuan ($39 million), while the total cost of all the self-built pavilions reached about 4 billion yuan ($59 million), the Shanghai-based National Business Daily said in April.

Apart from the China Pavilion, the 10 most-popular structures of the May 1 opening proved to be the Swiss, France, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Britain and South Korea pavilions - all of which are self-built.