France unveils national pavilion design

The France Pavilion is unique in terms of both form and technologies. It will present France's contribution in the sustainable urban development for one of the biggest economic metropolises in the planet, Sarkozy said.

Xu Bo (left), director of the International Participation  Department of the Bureau of World Expo Coordination, Jose  Freches (center), president of COFRES, and Thierry Mathou,  consul general of France in Shanghai, cut the ribbon at the  opening of exhibition.

He said the pavilion would use the most advanced building materials and environmental protection technology. It will be a shining example of energy efficiency and recycling techniques, according to the official Website of French Pavilion.

Though the design had already been selected, the country still brought all the four finalists in the design competition to Shanghai.

Photographers take photos of the model of selected pavilion.

The applicants have spent a lot of time on the pavilion and all of them are excellent and innovative both in form and concept, Freches said.

"We want to listen to the opinions of Shanghai residents, about the content of the exhibition in the France Pavilion especially. We want to make it a pavilion for Chinese people."

The other three exhibiting projects are called "The Pavilion of France," "The Pavilion of Diversities," and" The Sky of Descartes."

The exhibition will be open until April 6.