By Kristian Koreman, Designer of NITA Group

Very honoured and happy after the announcement from the organizing Committee that our design for the EXPO 2010 Pudong Central Green was chosen to be constructed.

After many years of intensive cooperation between the Chinese and Dutch designers in our NITA team, this project is the crown on our work in China.

In the year 1998 I visited China for the first time to make the design for the Holland Garden at the International Horticultural Exposition in Kunming (1999). From that first moment I was in love with this beautiful country and every time I am visiting China again I am very happy to see and meet so many friendly people, clients, colleagues and friends. Since the project in Kunming we worked for projects in Beijing, Suzhou, Ningbo, Wuhu and at this moment also in Shenyang.

The last 3 years I am visiting China every month. The friendly people we meet, their great enthusiasm, their eagerness to learn from us and their very good organisation talents make it very pleasant for us to work in China.

Six years ago, the first time I was in Shanghai, the amazing city where I am working now for many years already and of course my family was excited to see and to enjoy this magnificent town. Shanghai is for me a beautiful mixture of traditional Chinese atmosphere and modern western style.

After being the chief architect of the Floriade, Dutch Horticultural Exposition in 2002, it is very great honour to work for the Expo 2010 organisation. It is almost unbelievable how fast and good organised this project is developing and how involved all the people are who are working for the Expo 2010. In the Netherlands it takes about 8 years to make a design and to construct a park like this. In Shanghai, after the concept design was finished in August last year, we can check the first tree planting at the site now 6 month later. And I can tell you that it looks really very good and professional. It is impressive to see how much work is done in a short time.

The earth movements look good and the scale of the hill in relation to the immense surrounding feels good. It is already nice to walk there or to sit under the-new planted trees and have a look on the Huangpu River with all the boats. At this moment you already feel the nice atmosphere and I am sure that during the Expo our visitors will feel the same. They will love this area to have a moment of rest and sit in the shade under the trees and enjoy the colourful planting in the middle of the exciting Expo.

Of course I had some remarks during this visit to improve some details, but that is exactly what the organisation office of the Expo 2010 asked me to do: to give my opinion to make it perfect. Altogether we are working on a project that will be of the highest standard in the world and you can feel the positive attitude of all the people who are involved to reach this goal.

I am happy that the Organisation Office of the Expo 2010 has chosen for a green heart in this Expo on a perfect location next to the river. I am sure that also after the Expo 2010 this park will be an appreciated location for the residents of Shanghai and the visitors of Shanghai to find a moment of rest in this exciting city.