A stylish restaurant, souvenir shop and interactive mockup of architectural “gems” of Łódź will form the Łódź stand at the International Exhibition EXPO Astana 2017. Łódź as the only Polish city will have a permanent exhibition, from 10 June to 10 September – i.e. for the duration of the event in Kazakhstan. The presence of Łódź at the exhibition in Astana is a part of the promotion of the city and Poland as a candidate to organise the EXPO in 2022.

- The efforts to organise the EXPO 2022 are entering the next phase. In Astana, we want to present our greatest strengths, but also show the revitalisation i.e. the subject with which we will be confronted. We looked for the optimal formula to show Łódź in the best of lights. We decided to create a friendly and interesting restaurant and souvenir shop – said Maciej Riemer from the Department for EXPO of the City of Łódź Office.

On 160 m2, as the Łódź stand will occupy such area, a restaurant inspired by the courtyard at ul. 6 Sierpnia, by the interior of a factory owner’s elegant villa and by a 19th-century train, will be built. The visitors will have an opportunity to buy regional specialties and gadgets at a shop specially prepared for this purpose. The design of the exhibition also includes a bar being a replica of the Łódź Kaliska pub.

The concept of the Łódź-related part of the exhibition has been developed at the Studio of Stucco Work and Monument Conservation ARKADY in Łódź. The design of the exhibition combines the representative and service functions. It will be of multimedia and interactive nature. Its elements will include, inter alia, the story of the emerging city which begins to grow and change its nature as the time goes by.

The cost of the Łódź stand will be PLN 2.5 million, of which the city will pay PLN 575 thousand. The rest of this amount will be covered by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development – the main organiser of participation of our country in the International Exhibition EXPO Astana 2017.