Expo pride
This year's World Expo is another peak for YAOX. On being given the one-in-a-million chance to act as the creative director for the China Pavilion, Yao says with a laugh, "Actually, we originally just wanted to take part in the construction of the pavilion's multimedia theater!"
YAOX, which has always tried to push its own limits, entered the international bidding process for the China Pavilion in 2008. It was one of 64 firms from around the world that took part in the intense competition.
"In the first round, the China Pavilion's guidelines consisted of only 16 Chinese characters: 'Striving for self-improvement, great virtue encompassing all things, imitating nature, united but distinct,'" Yao recalls. "They wanted teams to take inspiration from this. A lot of foreigners saw it and just froze!"
An assignment that touches upon culture was not too much for Yao, a student of Chinese history. After the rounds of bidding, his proposals "300 Million Farm Workers Enter the City," "The Wisdom of Along the River During the Qingming Festival," and "Dark Ride" were all accepted (see "Crown Jewel: The Chinese Pavilion"). Yao was awarded the title of creative director, and his team was appointed as exhibit design developers and engineering contractors.
The Taiwan Pavilion got off to a later start, with bidding opening in the second half of 2009. The proposal from YAOX and the office of the architect C.Y. Lee, "Mountain, Water, & Lantern of the Heart," was favored by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) because of the high level of creativity shown in the facade and its mode of exhibition. Yao became the creative director for both the China and Taiwan Pavilions.
Behind the impressive title is the pressure of a job where failure is not an option. For example, to get the best results from the Taiwan Pavilion's innovative immersive theater, YAOX created a replica at the company to test it repeatedly. The team even worked over the Lunar New Year holiday.
Though it was a difficult process, the multimedia elements of the China Pavilion and the Taiwan Pavilion have been well received. And as the force behind the scenes, YAOX has grown in stature. Visitors from all over the world are swarming the pavilions, and YAOX is grabbing the chance to establish a 5,000-square-meter 3D theater in Shanghai. It plans to establish itself in the market while China is swept with 3D fever in the wake of the Hollywood blockbuster, Avatar. It is expected to gross NT$800 million in 2011 and become one of the hottest design teams in China and Taiwan.
After years of relative obscurity, this company can truly be said to have become famous overnight.
The 3D animation flicks of YAOX Edutainment are both entertaining and educational, which makes them big favorites at museums in Europe, Japan, Korea, China, and Southeast Asia. They are often described as Taiwanese versions of Avatar.
The 3D animation flicks of YAOX Edutainment are both entertaining and educational, which makes them big favorites at museums in Europe, Japan, Korea, China, and Southeast Asia. They are often described as Taiwanese versions of Avatar.