Text from ShanghaiDaily:

The Rotterdam Pavilion at Expo 2010 invites visitors to experience life below sea level and rain from artificial clouds – without getting their feet wet. The 400-square-meter pavilion started its inner assembly last week and will open to public on May 1.

The artificial cloud will offer a nine-minute thrill by producing various weather patterns from sunshine to heavy rainfall, similar to the Dutch city's unpredictable climate. When it rains, visitors may also see lightening and hear thunder produced by advanced technology in the pavilion, called "Rotterdam Water City", inside the Urban Best Practices Area at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. The pavilion Happy Street represents the Netherlands. Rotterdam is the only city that presents a pavilion of its own.

"However, you don't have to fear that you'll get wet through the downpour in our pavilion," said Richard E. Ouwerkerk, dean and chairman of the Willem de Kooning Academy who designed the pavilion. "We have introduced the city's innovative technologies and expertise, such as the use of 'water plazas' to keep your feet dry."

A water plaza collects rainwater and serves as a public square on sunny days. Visitors can also see a model of floating houses, which will be built in Rotterdam this May to enable people to live over the water.