How do you make light, heat and movement out of water
Energy is produced and is consumed. It obeys the laws of nature. One can say that it is part of these laws – the driving force behind technological progress and the raw material of our economic system. But this does not tell us what energy really is. How do you make light, heat and movement out of water? The flow of energy is as powerful as it is invisible. What we actually see are the results of its constant transformations.
The glistening building is completely covered with copper sheeting. Inside, the copper is unvarnished and will eventually oxidize and change colour during the 159 days of Expo.02. Right at the entrance, we hear the unmistakable sound of a waterfall roaring through the hall. It is artificial of course, but provides a demonstration of the colossal, unbridled energy of water.
Then comes the show, a mixture of dance, music, light – and magic. Energy comes across as the art of combining all things effortlessly, and water becomes the elixir of wonderment. In the third and last part of Magie de l’énergie, we are treated to a most entertaining display of our dependence on energy, with an orchestra of household appliances swinging to the sounds of shavers and toasters. Nature has definitely become art.
Arteplage
Neuchâtel
Visitor capacity per day
9'240
Total visitors
1'575'210
Partner
AlpHydro – the main electricity enterprises of Western Switzerland
Idea, concept, design
Bellprat Associates AG (new: Bellprat Partner AG), Zurich www.bellprat.com
Content, scenography
Bellprat Associates AG (new: Bellprat Partner AG) (Xavier Bellprat, Madeleine Gentinetta, Christoph Gutmann, Richard Haenni, Siegfried Meier, Gertrud Ohling, Karin Vey), Zurich www.bellprat.com
Architecture
Bellprat Associates AG (new: Bellprat Partner AG) (Jim Dudley, Andrea Clark), Zurich www.bellprat.com
Arge Weiss + Schmid Architekten (new: Schmid Architekten) / Lienhard & Uetz, Winterthur www,schmidarch.ch www,lienhard-uetz.ch
Lighting design
Tokyoblue GmbH (Dietmar Borth, Serge Schmuki), Zurich www.tokyoblue.ch
Sound architecture
Pius Morger www.piusmorger.ch
Choreography
Christian Mattis www.mattis.ch
Household Equipment Orchestra
Ruedi Häusermann, Giuseppe Reichmuth, Philipp Läng
Realisation Pavilion
Nüssli (Schweiz) AG (Roger Egolf), Hüttwilen www.nussli,com
Exhibition construction
Glarner Waldvogel, Birmensdorf
Electrical engineering
Elektro Rhyner AG (Patrick Rhyner), Glarus www.erag.ch
Water technology
Schneider Aquatec SA (Daniel Häfeli), Berne
Communication
DBCOM (Agnès Margot), Lausanne
Mixacom (Adeline Beaux), Lausanne
The Creative Factory
Project management
Martin Rohr
Steering committee
Jean-Marc Narbel
Max-François Roth
Georges Duvanel
Gian Rechsteiner
Xavier Bellprat
Martin Rohr
Adeline Beaux
Coaching Expo.02
Armin Heusser (Head)
Michelle Dedelley
Operations and Administration
Les Electriciens Romands
Mixacom
Operations Management
Adeline Beaux (Operations Manager)
Claude Comte (Deputy Manager)
Anne Schlittler Shivani (Deputy Manager)
Gian Rechsteiner (Technical Manager)
Sonia Le Grand Hayoz (Operations Manager)
Jean-Louis Besson (Technical Assistant)
Julien Haenny (Events Manager)
Guides
Lisa Bergen, Damaris Gerber, Aurelia Jaquier (Team Leader), Yvonne Junod, Cyril Lafranchi (Team Leader), Lucienne Magri
Photos: Press kit Magie de l'énergie; © Archive Frédérique Mouchet; © Lucas Keel; © Andreas Mosimann
