This conceptual design for the China Pavilion at the World Expo reimagines the role of national pavilions as more than celebratory showcases — instead positioning the pavilion as a platform for critical reflection and visionary solutions. Tasked with representing the identity of an entire country, I chose to explore the layered reality of China’s modern identity through four intersecting lenses: history, culture, social dynamics, and environmental imprint.

The pavilion centers on the tension between state-celebrated narratives and lived realities, particularly focusing on the rise of "coffin homes" — 2’ x 5’7” micro-dwellings in cities like Hong Kong that reveal a housing crisis hidden in plain sight. Rather than ignore or condemn these conditions, the project proposes a radical rethinking: What if coffin homes were reimagined as dignified, sustainable, and culturally integrated spaces?

The design merges historical Chinese housing typologies — such as round communal dwellings and courtyard family homes — with modern micro-dwellings, creating a modular community that incorporates natural light, shared green space, and aquaculture systems. A rainwater collection infrastructure and integrated bamboo forest help position the pavilion as an ecological prototype, not just a cultural artifact.