The design of the Swiss Pavilion aimed to convey the message that cities were linked to nature and people should be able to travel from cities to nature easily, Buchner Brundler, one of the pavilion's chief designers said Sunday.

The pavilion, veiled by a curtain of woven aluminum, also reflected the traditional Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang, the two opposing principles in nature, he said.

Popular attractions of the pavilion include a 10-meter-high projection screen showing IMAX film "The Alps" and a chairlift which could take visitors from the ground floor to the pavilion roof where a simulation of Swiss scenery was located.

Manuel Salchli, the pavilion director, said he expected the pavilion to provide visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, enhance people-to-people exchanges and promote cultural understanding between the Swiss and the Chinese people.

For example, some of the visitors were not aware of the fact that 95 percent of Switzerland's glass was recyclable and a visit to the pavilion may help them gain the knowledge, he said.

With a designed capacity of hosting 20,000 people daily, the Swiss Pavilion received about 8,000 visitors during its first day of operation on Saturday, said Salchli.

According to expo authorities,the Swiss pavilion was ranked as one of the top 10 preferred destinations for expo visitors on Saturday.