German Pavilion — Expo 2012 Yeosu

I was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology together with Hamburg Messe und Congress to photograph the German Pavilion at Expo 2012 Yeosu. The assignment focused on documenting how the pavilion translated scientific content into an accessible spatial experience.

Architecture and concept

The pavilion explored the theme The Living Ocean and Coast. Its design combined research, education, and interaction, aiming to make complex topics around marine environments understandable to a broad audience.

Creative agency Facts and Fiction developed the exhibition concept, while GPT Architects  designed the pavilion. Together, they created a structure that balanced information with movement and play.

SEAVOLUTION — the exhibition

The exhibition, titled SEAVOLUTION, guided visitors from the shoreline to deeper ocean environments. It was structured into three main sections: Coasts, Biotope, and Treasure Chamber. Each area introduced a different aspect of ocean life through interactive elements and spatial storytelling.

While photographing the pavilion, I focused on how visitors moved through these environments. Rather than isolating displays, I documented how architecture, light, and interaction worked together.

Photographing the space

My role was to create a visual record of the exhibition as it functioned in real time. I photographed details, transitions, and wider views to show how the pavilion communicated its ideas. From bright, open areas to darker, enclosed spaces, the images reflect changes in mood and scale.

The photographs document both the design and the atmosphere of the pavilion. They record how scientific content became a physical experience rather than a static display.

A lasting record

The German Pavilion presented ocean research as something active and shared. My photographs now serve as a record of that approach. Rather than celebrating spectacle, the work captures how design, education, and interaction came together at Expo 2012 to communicate the importance of ocean life in a clear and engaging way.