The German Pavilion has to fit into the International Zone in a way that it makes sense at each stage of its development. This demands that the solution not only be modular and adaptable, but should also be easy to extend. Herein lies the challenge that the pavilion does not grow in a piecemeal fashion, but it should have worked out its particular, imprinting, central themes from the very beginning.

Furthermore the German Pavilion should adapt itself to the existing concept of the International Zone with its campus character.

With respect to the aspects of ”German quality” described above, and the resulting synthesis to be derived from this, the aim is to create a building that is based on an integral guiding idea, which would also be suitable as the core for further development.

As an integral theme the members of the German Pavilion Group defined ”water” as an idea. On the one hand for its qualities as the creator of life and its expression of the joy of life and beauty and on the other hand as a medium that carries energy, whose possibilities to date have hardly been explored. At the same time, this guiding idea of water should find its expression in or on this building in an artistic/creative way, as a combination of light, water and sound.

This is based on the insight that, today more than ever, a careful handling of this precious resource is crucial and with this may come many new insights into its secrets. This requires space and equipment dedicated to different kinds of water research. Besides the development of alternative (appropriate) technologies for the desalination of sea water, it could also include leading edge scientific research of specially processed water to potentially carry information.

A further planned part of the building would provide a hall, that is acoustically highly adaptable, and that would be suitable for concert performances and for use by a music school. In this case ‘concert’ does not only mean a performance of German composers but Indian and International music as well, with its focus more on classical musical styles. The quality of the technical specification of this room can be anywhere from its basic structural acoustic function up to and including sophisticated high tech equipment. An additional workshop for the production and maintenance of musical instruments is also foreseen.

Finally a separate area should represent the vision/philosophy of Germany in an adequate manner. In this space both exhibitions and lectures should be made possible.

Additional space requirements: Two to three single room guest apartments; caretakers flat; reception area and a small Café;

Miscellaneous:

· Ornamental gardens around the building, possibly in connection with a fountain (if possible combining aesthetic and utility equipment together).

· No free-standing building, but integrated into a ”European plaza”, with possible links to neighbouring buildings (e.g. French or Russian pavilions)