Finnish pavillion at World Expo 2010 with WPC facade

The Finnish pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai will receive a modern shingle cladding made from wood plastic composite UPM ProFi.

Finland will take part in the Expo with the Giant’s Kettle pavilion, designed by the Helsinki-based architecture agency JKMM Architects. The innovative Giant’s Kettle pavilion, which will be built on a 3,000 square metre lot, stresses the importance of minimal environmental load in its material selection. This is in tune with Finland’s vision ‘Good Life’ at the Expo.

The Giant’s Kettle pavilion will be clad with scaly modern shingles designed especially for the project. The shingles are manufactured from UPM ProFi wood plastic composite. The innovative material is produced mainly from recycled raw material and is ideal for outdoor use. Environmentally friendly UPM ProFi has a hard wearing surface with low moisture and it keeps its colour well over time.

The total surface area of the Giant’s Kettle’s exterior cladding is 3,700 square metres, for which UPM will produce about 25,000 injection moulded shingles. Size of a shingle is 350×600 mm. Colour of The Giant’s Kettle will be marble white.

Giant’s Kettle represents an ideal city
“When designing the Giant’s Kettle, we were fascinated with the idea that recycled industrial materials could be used to build the pavilion. UPM ProFi suits well in that concept, because Finland’s pavilion represents an ideal city according to sustainable development,” says architect Teemu Kurkela from JKMM Architects.

The principle raw material for UPM ProFi is the paper and plastic left over from UPM Raflatac’s self-adhesive label materials production. Other construction materials used in the Giant’s Kettle include steel, wood, stone, glass and textiles. The plan is to move the Giant’s Kettle to a new location after the World Expo. All the pavilion’s elements will be manufactured for easy dismantling and re-assembly.

Markku Koivisto, Director, UPM ProFi, is also pleased with the cooperation: “The choice of the new material for the project is proof that UPM ProFi combines sustainability and performance successfully. We are happy for the opportunity to promote UPM ProFi in such a unique and international context as the Giant’s Kettle.”

The World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is expected to be the biggest World Expo of all times. Up to 80 million people are expected to visit the over 300 hectare Expo site between 1 May and 31 October 2010. The World Expo’s theme is “Better City, Better Life”. Finland will build its exposition around the elements of well-being, competence and the environment.

Contact
Markku Koivisto (Director)
UPM ProFi
Tel.: +35-840-861 28 52

Source

UPM Kymmene, 2009-03-20.

Supplier

UPM Corporation

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