BC Canada Pavilion
BC Canada Pavilion from Tony Grant
BC Canada Pavilion

As part of its ongoing mission to foster economic development and cultural exchange through major events, the Province of British Columbia engaged Orca Creative Group to design and build an exhibit in Beijing to operate before, during and after the 2008 Olympic games. Situated on two floors of Beijing’s city planning and history museum, the main level of the exhibit took visitors on an interpretive tour of British Columbia’s industrial, social and cultural landscape from its First Nations heritage through to the current cultural mosaic. The interpretation was organized around a framework based on the five Chinese elements (wood, water, fire, earth and metal) with each section touching on historical, economic and cultural aspects of the province within the context of the theme. Large scale artifacts, graphics, synchronized audio/video story-telling and interactive games were used throughout the pavilion. My role: lead designer, project manager for Orca creative Group.

'The Emperor's Sunrise', a sculpture carved in BC from a single piece of jade sits at the base of the entrance to the BC Canada Pavilion.
BC Canada Pavilion - entry - Welcome area of the pavilion features a synchronized multi-screen presentation set in front of a cedar-clad screen and water element. The interpretive level of the pavilion comprised 10,000 sq. feet of exhibit space.
BC Canada Pavilion - fire element - Long view of the 'fire' element area combining images, artifacts, video and an interactive drumming station.
BC Canada Pavilion -drum station - The fire element area culminates in a celebration of first nations culture and drum display (a popular exhibit).
BC Canada Pavilion - metal area - The element 'metal' is represented in true BC metal surfaces combined with graphics (backlit and reflective) and video. Visitors were encouraged to touch the metal as part of the experience.
BC Canada Pavilion - the spirit tree - The spirit tree (very popular) allows visitors to explore the native legend of BC's spirit bear while standing inside an 800-year-old douglas fir (reclaimed from Stanley Park after the great storm of 2006).
BC Canada Pavilion - water element - A close up view of the water area which employed graphics and touchscreen displays as well as embedded video.
BC Canada Pavilion - water element - Another view of the water element theme showing mixed media graphics with an emphasis on layering and reflective surfaces. The watery 'ribbon' at the base of the display is actually made from tensioned fabric.
BC Canada Pavilion - BC Explorer - An interactive 3D game allowing visitors to explore BC by air while learning about culture, communities and industry (extremely popular). The spherical projection surface creates a powerful 3D illusion of flying over the landscape. Visitors pilot the plane using only the motion of their hand over a sensor embedded within the cabinet below.
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BC Canada Pavilion

As part of its ongoing mission to foster economic development and cultural exchange through major events, the Province of British Columbia engaged Orca Creative Group to design and build an exhibit in Beijing to operate before, during and after the 2008 Olympic games. Situated on two floors of Beijing’s city planning and history museum, the main level of the exhibit took visitors on an interpretive tour of British Columbia’s industrial, social and cultural landscape from its First Nations heritage through to the current cultural mosaic. The interpretation was organized around a framework based on the five Chinese elements (wood, water, fire, earth and metal) with each section touching on historical, economic and cultural aspects of the province within the context of the theme. Large scale artifacts, graphics, synchronized audio/video story-telling and interactive games were used throughout the pavilion. My role: lead designer, project manager for Orca creative Group.

Tony Grant
Exhibit & Interpretive Design Vancouver, BC