COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference Vanke Foundation Exhibition Design

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) was held in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12, 2023. This milestone in global climate governance brings together world leaders, leaders in climate change, green innovation enterprises, and international mainstream media, aiming to address the climate crisis by agreeing to limit temperature rise within 1.5 ℃ and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. During the conference, Vanke Foundation, a member of Chinese social organizations, deeply participated in the “China Pavilion” series of side meetings and themed exhibitions organized by the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China. Together with global participants, we discussed the critical role played by communities in climate change, showing the world the sustainable, multi-dimensional, and ambitious “China Power in Action.” PILLS was invited by the Vanke Foundation to participate in the planning and completion of the “Discovering Meisha” - Unveiling the Charm of Meisha Carbon Neutrality Community held at the Biosphere No.3 Solution Hall. Based on the multiple limitations of venue and exhibition conditions, we have chosen to use pop-up books as the design concept of this exhibition. Through various methods such as models, videos, images, and sound devices, we vividly present the low-carbon practices of the Meisha Community in Yantian District, Shenzhen. We hope to make the on-site audience feel that carbon neutrality is not the goal in itself; the goal is a better life through sustainable exhibition design.

Meisha Carbon Neutrality Community Exhibition The Meisha Carbon Neutrality Community, as a flagship project in China, has stepped onto the world stage in COP28. The Meisha Community, located on the east coast of Shenzhen, China, is a well-known tourist destination and livable place. Starting in 2021, under the guidance and support of the government, the Vanke Foundation has collaborated with multiple parties to build the ecological priority Meisha Carbon Neutrality Pilot Demonstration Zone in the Meisha Community. The project focuses on four major areas: local resource utilization of kitchen waste, protection of community biodiversity, public awareness of carbon reduction, and low-carbon technology transformation. This project has been selected as a C40 “2022 Green and Prosperous Community Pilot Project Case.” The Meisha Carbon Neutrality Community Exhibition tells low-carbon stories about local community ecology, technology, architecture, and cultural experiences through various methods such as three-dimensional models, videos, images, and audio. The display content includes the “Zero Waste Recycling Path” connected by points such as the Black Water Fly Cabin and the rooftop photovoltaic system of Vanke Center. It also consists of the “Ecological Healing Road” to research plant, animal, and marine biodiversity, as well as ecological restoration of Inner Lake wetlands. The “Meisha Cultural Tourism Road” is rich in cultural experiences such as Hakka fishing and farming culture, big banyan trees, and the Egongji site. This exhibition design faces multiple practical challenges and limitations, including unclear venue conditions in the early stage, lack of exhibition workforce and tools, and extremely short construction time. At the same time, we plan to complete a full cycle sustainable exhibition design from perspectives such as material selection, production process, construction process, and post-exhibition, in line with the green environmental protection concept pursued by the Vanke Foundation and COP28. Therefore, we chose the form of a pop-up book made of recyclable paper to tell the low-carbon story of the Meisha community. Exhibits can be conveniently transported, quickly constructed, and later reused, reducing tool and electrical installation. Live audiences worldwide can immerse themselves in the rich biodiversity of the Meisha Carbon Neutrality Community and the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, experiencing the ongoing Chinese climate story.

Project Information Project Name: Design of the Exhibition Area for Vanke Public Welfare Fund at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 28 Project Type: Exhibition Design Project Location: Dubai World Expo City COP Conference Blue Zone Biosphere No.3 Solution Hall Client: Vanke Foundation Curator: Zigeng Wang Consultant: Xiewei Song, Xiaoou Wan Lead Designer: Zigeng Wang Design Team: Manying Wang, Shilin Liu, Yue Wu, Yuran Tan 3D Book Design and Collaborative Illustrator: Yanan Dong Graphic Design: Yanchao He, Xingzhu Jiang Production: Yachang Culture (Group) Co. Ltd., Shouxing Tuotao (Beijing) Art Exhibition Service Co. Ltd.