One of the 142 participants at the world fair Expo Milano 2015 is also Slovenia. These exhibitions vary in character and are held every 5 years in varying parts of the world. The main theme is »Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life«. The importance of the World Exhibition in Milan is even greater for Slovenia, because of its immediate vicinity. Italy is also the first in number of tourists in Slovenia, the second most important foreign trade partner of Slovenia and the third largest foreign investor in Slovenia. According to the organizers the world exhibition will host 20 million people, of which every fourth is Italian.
The idea for the Slovenian pavilion is based on the slogan "I FEEL SLOVENIA. Green. Active. Healthy.
The common thread in the exhibition manifests itself through a series of interactive elements and architectural design through the pavilion. Five prismatical structures, positioned on the geometrically and dynamically designed surface, whose shape is reminiscent of a cultivated field, represent Slovenian diverse geographical landscape and symbolize fundamental ideas of sustainable development. Theme "I Feel Slovenia. Green. Active. Healthy" The Concept The vastness of its forest, the abundance of its lakes and streams, the charm of the sea and its coastlines, the wealth of its nature reserves, its variety of flora and fauna: during Expo Milano 2015, Slovenia looks to reflect the image of its outstanding natural beauty, ideal for an active and healthy life. Its pavilion, which covers an exhibition area of 1,910 square meters, exemplifies the strong connection between a healthy environment and a healthy food produced locally, with methods that do not weigh on the ecosystem. Indeed, natural resources are the key to sustainable food and good quality of life. Slovenia sets out to stimulate the visitor’s senses, offering a showcase of its culinary diversity. Although, in geographical terms, it is relatively small, the country has 24 gastronomic regions, and at Expo Milano 2015 visitors can sample wide array of delights for the palate, including wines. Vineyards are indeed a characteristic of a significant portion of the Slovenian territory. Walking through the green areas, which are a key feature of the pavilion, visitors are reminded of its lush landscape and can take this opportunity to get to know Slovenia in all its glory.
The pavilion is designed and will be built with natural materials - mainly from wood and glass, as Slovenia is one of the most forested countries in Europe, we cam say thet wood is its strategic material. The structure will be complemented with greened walls inside and on the outside facades. The design is complex and consists of a large, mostly wooden composition. Distinguished by large ranges the strucutre is one of the first hybrid constructions by slovenian designers; it combines wooden skeleton construction with and cross-laminated timber load-bearing elements. West facade is mostly glazed with large triangular shaped windows that allow views into the interior of the exhibition spaces. Other facades are not so open - it consists of wooden battens, which are randomly divided by white steel profiles in order to achieve a look of leaf's surface.
