Italy Pavilion Milan Expo 2015
Pietro Baroni

Italy Pavilion Milan Expo 2015: Theme "The Nursery of Italy"

EXPO 2015 S.p.a as Contractors

The Concept


The Universal Exposition of 2015 represents an excellent opportunity for Italy to revive and promote its many points of excellence in manufacturing, technology and science. And at the very center of this mission is the Italian Pavilion.


The nursery symbolizes the nurturing of projects and talents so that they can grow, providing them with fertile soil, offering them shelter and giving prominence to new energies. The tree is a symbol of life, of nature at its most primitive, a central icon around which all activities are arranged. And in a horizontal plan view, the roots are designed to connect the many different areas, particularly those dedicated to the Regions.


The pavilion is innovative, unusual, surprising, unique, and constantly interacts with its surrounding environment. It is the destination for many entrepreneurs and researchers, capable of reviving the concepts of Italian excellence, know-how and Made ​​in Italy.


The general commissioner of the Italian Pavilion section is Diana Bracco. The creator of the concept is creative director, Marco Balich.

Palazzo Italia Expo Milano 2015

iGuzzini as lighting

The Italian Pavilion  showcases Italy’s excellence, and, in particular, the country’s food and culinary  culture and traditions that are typified by their consistent high-quality, from the ingredients to the end  products. The exhibition entitled Identità Italiana (Italian Identity) is the key display in the pavilion, and it  is dedicated to the various parts of Italy that have taken part in this cultural and artistic project. It tells the  story of the four so-called Italian Powers, with the help of the country’s 21 Regions and Autonomous  Provinces. 

The concept behind Palazzo Italia is that of an “urban forest”. Its branch-like “skin”, designed by Studio  Nemesi as the building's external shell, evokes a sensation of both primitive and hi-tech life experiences.  The interweaving of its geometrical lines is reminiscent of the random pattern of branches and the  continual play of light and shadow, solid and void generates a sculpture-like building with clear land-art  influences.  The basic architectural idea for Palazzo Italia is a concept of cohesion in which the force of attraction  generates a rediscovered sense of community and belonging. The internal piazza represents the  community’s energy. This space – the symbolic heart of the complex – is where the exhibition  experience begins, right in the middle of the four sections that make up the pavilion. Together, these four  blocks form a kind of cityscape, while retaining their own individual character and purpose, and including:  an Exhibition zone (West block), an Auditorium and Events zone (South block), an Office zone (North  block) and a Conference and Meeting zone (East block).

These blocks are symbols of giant trees with  massive bases that simulate roots plunging into the earth. Seen from the internal piazza, these trunks  open and then stretch upwards, finally breaking free, like foliage, through the huge, glass canopy. The  rich weave of branches that forms the outer shell highlights the Palazzo's sculpted forms.  The lighting project, also designed by the Nemesi Studio, seeks to bring light and architecture together  by highlighting the building's character and features in a way that is completely natural.  The general illumination system creates even, comfortable and inviting lighting throughout the structure  with recessed, DALI dimmable, warm colour temperature Laser Blade luminaires. These products, which  are concealed in the structure's false ceilings, offer high performance levels with no glare.  In line with the architectural features of the offices (that are elongated, longitudinal spaces) long,  rectangular recessed iN 30 and iN 60 luminaires have been installed that create an ideal level of lighting  for desks and work stations.  For the corridors, which are the most highly frequented areas in the pavilion, pendant-mounted Le  Perroquet and Tecnica Pro luminaires have been used, while Underscore ledstrips highlight the  banisters and niches. 

The auditorium, also known as “the egg” is a space built completely in wood with a dark false ceiling.  Laser Blade luminaires have been recessed in the ventilation ducts to ensure that they are completely  concealed, and dimmable versions have been used to ensure that the light suits the space available  perfectly, and is user-friendly too.  For the outdoor lighting of Palazzo Italia, whose facades are completely constructed in white cement, a  lighting project has been designed by Enel Sole that features MultiWoody luminaires fitted with DALI  COB LED small body MaxiWoody spotlights. With their neutral white colour temperature these intensify  the pure white of the material and enhance the texture and surface of the walls. The supports have also  been used for the functional lighting of the Cardo which features Archilede HP luminaires. The entire  system created by Enel Sole, is managed by a control system with DALI technology.  To vertically light-wash the outer surface of the pavilion, recessed Linealuce luminaires (known for their  superior vertical lighting performance) have also been positioned at the feet of every "root" base. 

The products used all feature LEDs with warm colour temperatures for the interiors and cold ones for the  exteriors. This solution was chosen for the superior performance of these lamps which boast both long  life and low maintenance costs. Palazzo Italia will remain in situ after the Expo fair finishes, so it is  important that the lighting system is both long-lasting and highly efficient: two qualities that characterise  all iGuzzini products. 

VIVAIO ITALIA

F&M Ingegneria as Engineers

ITALY | HOME TO ITALIAN IDENTITY The Italian Pavilion, meant as the combination of Palazzo Italia and of the buildings along the Cardo that stretch along the thoroughfare perpendicularly to the Decumanoand the Cardo itself, houses several set-ups that were finally designed in bundle with Gio Forma and its Art Direction desk. The main set-up is located inside Palazzo Italia “home to Italian identity”: an immersive journey in the power of Italian identity. The exhibition develops from the ground floor to the third floor, in a continuum of articulately arranged spaces whose architectural project was trusted to Studio Nemesi. The use projections and screens for audiovisual contents allow the visitors to be fully immersed in the special effects. The Convivio area is located on the ground floor of the Cardo and was set-up to allow all Italian regions to use of rotation.


The basic set-up is comprised of two thematic areas: - “Knowing”: a space developing vertically, made of a large bookshelf both hung and on the floor, and a set of mirroring ceiling panels; though the bookshelf is conceived as a furnishing element in the traditional sense, it is fitted with several niches, shelves and screens. - “Doing”: space that develops horizontally made of large tables andseats.Together with the former, other spaces were furbished in order to allow the performance of various functions in the Palazzo Italia complex: the large Auditorium, the office areas, the halls, etc. An ancillary structure to the complex: an Event stage next to Palazzo Italia, for music performances, live concerts, cinema showings and conferences. Made with a single cover installed 11.70 meters from the ground, made of modular aluminum beams and metal sheets: the effect is that of a great basket, fitted with circular truss covers, canvas screens, multivideoscreens and a box for radio broadcasting. Finally, the Gran Tour: a three dimensional element complementing the external furnishing of the Cardo.


A large structure up to 7 m tall with wide curvature radiuses and lights up to 17 meters, formed by a number of steel and wooden propellers and wide benches for a moment of relax by the Cardo. The outstanding feature of the architectural shape required structural solutions that could allow its full expressive power to be deployed, while guaranteeing suitable structural safety. The first step was the definition of the anchoring points, and then two structural backbones had to be defined. Structural modeling allowed to definecalendered O298 tubular profiles resting on reinforced concrete circular plinths with diameter 3.4 m and thickness 65 cm, placed on the Cardo pavement. Unfortunately the Gran Tour project was not built.


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