“balancity“ is Germany´s interpretation of the EXPO-theme “Better City – Better Life”, dedicated to ideas for a life in balance in the city of tomorrow.
The highlight of the German Pavilion is the 9-minute interactive show featured in the Energy Source, the source of power and zest for life. Where 600 people experience how they can together set a huge sphere in motion simply with their calls.
This sphere, which is fitted with more than 400,000 LEDs (3 m in diameter and weighing 1.2 tonnes), was invented especially for the German EXPO Pavilion – it´s movement is based on voice control. The ball is set in motion like a pendulum by loud shouts and picks up more and more speed over the course of the show. It absorbs the audience’s energy, flies higher and higher, faster and faster. At its highest point, it starts to move in circles. Through the images on the sphere, which depict diversity and differences, visitors themselves build a city for the future, in which everyone will enjoy living and where everything has its place.
Control and monitoring technology was specially developed for this innovative approach to interaction. The mechanics are controlled by acoustic assessment of the audience’s calls. The interactive sphere is an unusual combination of engineering achievement and playful experience. The balancity idea is beautifully reflected and brought to life in the swinging pendulum. Experiencing this interaction, audience members feel that they can truly make a difference. Concept and creation of the sphere by Milla & Partner, the special engineering was developed by the University of Stuttgart.