By Shen Zejin

From November 15 to November 16, the first exhibitors' conference of China Shanghai World Expo 2010 opened in Shanghai and the overall planning of China Shanghai World Expo 2010 was disclosed for the first time on the conference. And on the conference, the complete model of the Shanghai World Expo Park was unveiled for the first time and the 288 representatives from 115 countries and 12 international organizations visited the Shanghai World Expo Park on the spot. Representatives who "entered" into the World Expo with frequent highlights tended to be rather excited.

China Shanghai World Expo 2010 to be held in four years will have the largest scale in the 150-year history of the World Expo, and it is the first World Expo held in China as a developing country and a world expo with the highest expectations of the international community. Such three points are sufficient to make various countries in the world look forward to the overall planning of Shanghai World Expo 2010. In the planning and design of the Shanghai World Expo Park in face of representatives, various requirements of countries as exhibitors, international organizations, corporate exhibitors, visitors and operations as well as such factors as the presentation of World Expo's themes, subsequent utilization and the connection with the overall urban design of Shanghai have been taken into consideration in a comprehensive manner; and the section between the Napu Bridge and the Lupu Bridge is determined with the overall arrangement carried through along the Huangpu River banks in the urban areas of Shanghai. As planner, an area of 5.28 square kilometers will be occupied including 3.93 square kilometers in Pudong and 1.35 square kilometers in Puxi while the enclosure area (where visitors will be charged of a ticket) will amount to 3.28 square kilometers.
 
There consist of numerous problems in such a set of figures: such a large project must be completed within four years; as the place is situated in the downtown, historic buildings with an area of about 20,000 square meters must be reserved and protected and industrial buildings with an area of over 400,000 square meters, about one fifth of the total floor space of the Shanghai World Expo Park, must be reconstructed or replaced; as the Park is to be located along the Huangpu River banks, there will add some more traffic problems in Shanghai where there are many traffic problems; as far as the large-scale traffic system and the subsequent utilization of various buildings and facilities are concerned, how to realize no abandonment of any infrastructure facilities......
 
Having comprehensively considered such factors as proper walking distance, human size, and the recognition of visitors, an overall structural arrangement with five levels of "park, areas, sections, groups and clusters of exhibition galleries ", that is, the Shanghai World Expo Park will be divided into enclosure areas, then five functional areas with respective serial numbers of A, B, C, D, and E, then 15 "groups" of exhibitions galleries, and then some clusters of exhibition galleries, has been proposed in the planning scheme of Shanghai World Expo 2010.

Each cluster of exhibition galleries at the lowest level will occupy a floor space of about 20,000~25,000 square meters, and 40~45 exhibition booths, which are the minimum modules to be bid for by exhibitors, can be arranged in such a cluster. For the sake of convenience and easy access, small-scale public service facilities to provide meals and drinks, telecommunication services, sanitary services and maternal and children services will be set up in each "group" of exhibitions galleries. In addition, exhibition galleries can be classified into three categories: The first category is exhibition galleries designed and constructed independently by exhibitors. Official exhibitors will be provided with a piece of ground to set up their respective galleries free of charge, and a basic unit will be as large as 500 square meters and each official exhibitor can apply for two to twelve units, namely an area of 1000 to 6000 square meters. The second category consists of independent exhibition galleries constructed by the organizer and leased out to exhibitors. An independent exhibition gallery can be made up of one unit, two units, or four units with each unit occupying a floor space of 500 square meters. The third category consists of exhibition space in the combining exhibition gallery that is constructed by the organizer and provided to developing countries free of charge.

The function of World Expos is to advance side by side with the progress of human civilization. As to common visitors, to pay a visit to the part of Shanghai World Expo Park in Pudong is a unique experience of "going around the world within a single day" on the World Expo.

Functional Area A in Pudong is prepared for galleries of some Asian countries (excluding those in Southeast Asia), Functional Area B is prepared for galleries of countries from Southeast Asia, countries from Oceania and international organizations, and Functional Area C for galleries of countries from Europe, Americas, and Africa. If you want to see the most advanced technological achievements in the world or the future cities, then please go to Puxi. Functional Areas D and E are where corporate galleries are situated and best practices in urban areas are exhibited. Among the 16 corporate exhibition galleries, two are reconstructed out of former workshops; and all such exhibition galleries are to be demolished after the World Expo.

The Area to exhibit best practices in urban areas lies in the eastern part of the Enclosure area in Puxi. With a planned area of about 12 hectares, it is a comprehensive block simulating some functions of daily life, work, leisure and transportation in urban areas. In this area, what are exhibited are mainly material objects like urban constructions, facilities and devices but there are also few models. Major exhibitors here are 20 to 30 cities. The attractive China Gallery is located east to the axis of Shanghai World Expo Park, and the Gallery with an area of about 6.5 hectares is made up of a part for China as a whole country and the other part for local areas of China.

To illustrate the themes in-depth, it is considered in the planning to set up some thematic galleries in the Park. Such thematic galleries can be regarded as a reutilization of historical sites, and an energy exhibition gallery can be also constructed in allusion to issues that are most concerned by the human society including energy. In the meantime, thematic exhibition galleries can correspond to the World Expo Museum. The World Expo Museum is a part of the "Urban Civilization Exhibition Gallery" restructured by utilizing and protecting the existing buildings and it will be used to exhibit the development history of World Expo since the first World Expo as well as important inventions and display items.
 
The project of Shanghai World Expo Park is a very great project. As introduced by Zhong Yanqun, Executive Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of China Shanghai World Expo 2010, the main constructions of the Shanghai World Expo Park will begin in the second half of this year and basically come to an end by the second half of 2009. Here, the reporter would like to note down milestone points in the construction of Shanghai World Expo Park in the coming less than four years so as to make it possible to draw our attention from the planning to the reality and witness that the Shanghai World Expo would "change year by year and take on a totally new look after three years":
 
In 2006, all necessary removals will be basically completed and 50 percent of the area will be cleared out; the urban designing will be completed; the construction of infrastructure facilities in the Park will start, the planning and designing of the China Exhibition Gallery and thematic galleries will begin, and the designing and construction of matching facilities will be launched.

In 2007, all the area will be cleared out; the construction of World Expo Village, China Exhibition Gallery and various thematic galleries will begin while places will be transferred to exhibitors so as they can set up their independent exhibition galleries.

In 2008, the construction of infrastructure facilities in the Park, galleries and matching facilities will continue.

In 2009, exhibition galleries to be leased out and the combining exhibition gallery will be transferred; the construction of infrastructure facilities, all galleries and matching facilities in the Park will be completed; the fitment of major exhibition galleries and matching facilities in the Park will be launched. Till then, the construction of the Park's main body will be totally completed.

During the first quarter of 2010, the fitment and adjustment of main exhibition galleries and matching facilities in the Park will be completed while the construction of the municipality to get linked to the urban system and environmental renovation will be completed.