Gizmag recently took a tour through the impressive grounds of World Expo2015, which opened in Milan last month and features exhibitions from 143participating countries. Here we've put together a list of our top 10pavilions – the cream of a very fine crop which are a must see for anyone planning a visit to the Expo or those simply keen for a closer look at the best of what's on offer.
Located half an hour outside of the citycenter of Milan, the Expo grounds cover more than one million square meters(10.75 million sq ft), incorporating an array of arresting architecturalprojects and unique landscapes that represent different cultural identities.This year's world exposition is dedicated to the sharing ofdiverse and innovative ideas under the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energyfor Life," which saw many countries express ideason how we can address the big questions surrounding global food supply.
Here's our pick of the 10 best World Expo pavilions:
United Kingdom
The standout UK Pavilion is designed by British artist WolfgangButtress and was built in collaboration with engineer Tristan Simmonds and BDParchitectural studio. The huge structure is made from 169,300 individualaluminum parts, which are assembled together following the Fibonacci sequenceto create an enormous beehive structure. Inspired by scientific research from bee expert Dr. Martin Bencsik, theunique pavilion features audio sounds and visual cues that are linked inreal-time to an actual working beehive located in the UK.
Visitors to the UK pavilion follow the path of a bee, twistingthough a field of flowers and up into the heart of the beehive structure. Audiosounds of the queen bee's call can be heard throughout the exhibit and the LEDlights illuminate when bee activity increases.
Brazil
Covering amassive 4,133 square meters (44,487 sq.ft), the Brazilian pavilion was createdby winning designers from Studio Arthur Casas and Atelier Marko Brajovic. Theimpressive Pavilion is filled with giant trampoline nets, representing themetaphor for flexibility, fluidity and decentralization and is designed to highlight Brazil'scommitment to global access to food, and food quality.
Visitors to the Brazilian Pavilionenjoy a multi-sensory and interactive experience, making their way up and overthe massive nets and around into a large indoor exhibition space. The suspendednets give visitors a unique vantage point above the "Green Gallery" below, which ismade up of a series of planter boxer with flowers and fruits from Brazil.Brazil's interior gallery space is filled with hanging plants, resemblinghundreds of different birdhouses.
Switzerland
The Swiss Pavilion was designed by theNetwerch architectural firm and although it doesn't seem particularly striking from theexterior, what lies within in an unexpected and creative interpretation of theExpo theme. Proposing the question "Is there enough for everyone?"the Swiss pavilion features four giant towers dedicated to different Swissproducts: coffee, apples, salt and water.
Upon entering the pavilion, visitors areinvited to take as much produce as they wish, keeping in mind that nothing willbe re-stocked for the entire life of the EXPO 2015. Visitors are asked toconsider others who will visit the exhibit over the six-month period beforetaking something with them. The walls of each tower are made from hundreds ofcardboard boxes filled with produce and the floor is actuallythe base of a huge elevator, which lowers gradually as the boxes of produceempty.
Once the EXPO is over, these towerswill be transported back to Switzerland and re-purposed into urban greenhousesin several Swiss cities.
China
The undulating China Pavilion wascreated in collaboration with Tsinghua University's Academy of Art and Designand New York architects Studio Link-Arc. The Pavilion is entitled "TheLand of Hope" and showcases the nation's progress inagriculture and the supply of good healthy food. Expanding across an exhibition space of 4,590square meters (49,406 sq.ft), the pavilion includes three themes: "TheGift of Nature," "Foodfor Life" and "Technology and the Future."
The pavilion features an expansiveindoor field of LED lamps that is designed to resemble the crop processaccording to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The show incorporates China’sinterpretation for the five colors of the soil and it is truly mesmerizing towatch from all angles.
Germany
Germany's Pavilion is dubbed"The Field of Ideas" and was designed by renowned Germanarchitectural firm Schmidhuber. Using the architecture to reflect Germany'snatural and rich landscapes, the pavilion features rolling curves, large greencanopy and huge solar trees. The energy-producing solar trees incorporate thinorganic photovoltaic technology (OPV) that can be simply printed on flexiblefilm.
Visitors to the German Pavilionfollow a planned route which takes them through the "roots ofnutrition" – water, soil, climate and biodiversity – before arrivingat the "Garden of Ideas." The pavilion is filledwith private spots to relax and enjoy the scenery, accompanied by live music,DJ sets and live events.
Republic of Korea
The Republic of Korea pavilion isinspired by traditional Korean pottery, being built in the form of an enormous "Moon Jar." The overall shape and design of the structure is created to givethe illusion that it is floating above its surrounding environment. The pavilion addresses the question “which foods should be selected forsustainable consumption in the future?” The exhibit also looks at current food-relatedissues such as obesity and famine.
Inside, visitors aretaken through a series of rooms featuring thought provoking art installationsthat address problems caused by overeating, over-production of foods and faminein poverty stricken regions. A highlight of the pavilion is the Hansik hall,which is filled with hundreds of earthenware vessels called onggi. Thesevessels are used to naturally harbor the fermentation process of traditionalKorean foods and can also be used for food storage. In the exhibition each one features adifferent overhead projection that beams down upon it.
Austria
The Austrian Pavilion is actually a lush outdoor forest, giving visitorsthe opportunity to meander through and enjoy a breathe of fresh air. Its lush vegetation creates its own microclimate and although it is not covered,the shade from the tress means the pavilion is always 5 degrees cooler than theexterior temperature. Every hour the forest produces enough oxygen for 1,800visitors.
"Instead of a blaze oftechnology, our pavilion presents a dense natural forest," says theAustrian Commissioner General Josef Pröll. "The entire exhibition area inthe interior is open and has been planted with trees, some of which are up to12-metres high. This not only offers a very special experience of Nature, italso defines the EXPO skyline as a whole, because the crowns of our trees towerover most of the other buildings at the Universal Exposition."
Pavilion Zero
The Pavilion Zero is curated by Davide Rampello and designedby Michele deLucchi and explores the foundations of the United Nation's "The Zero HungerChallenge – United for a Sustainable World." The huge Pavilion Zerotakes visitors through a series of exhibitions spaces that explore the impactof food production processes, the evolution of agriculture and diverse culturalfood rituals from around the globe.
Throughout the exhibit the UN looksto express its active support of small farmers and the protection of thediversity of crops. Over a time span of 12,000 years since man startedcultivating foods, some 7000 plant species have declined to just 30 main crops,which make up 95 percent of our food supply.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE Pavilion was designed byinternational architects Foster + Partners and features tall rippled walls,reflecting the United Arab Emirates' desert landscapes. The structure is naturallycooling, with 12 meter (39.37 ft) tall wallsthat provide protection from the sun and create shaded pathwaysfor visitors. These pathways lead visitors up from the main entrance, throughoutdoor exhibit spaces and towards an impressive gold auditorium.
"The design reflects our investigationsinto the form of ancient cities and our appreciation for the desertlandscape," says Foster + Partners' senior executive and partner, NormanFoster. "It also maximizes the opportunities presented by the elongatedsite – the dramatic canyon-like entrance welcomes people inside, and thechannels between the high walls provide intuitive circulation, naturallyleading visitors to the auditorium, exhibition and courtyard spaces."
Italy
Italian architectural firm, Nemesi& Partners created the award winning Italian Pavilion, which is clad with asmog-filtering concrete facade. The pavilion is made from specialair-purifying cement created by Italcementi and stretches over 9,000 squaremeters (96, 875 sq ft), which took an estimated 2,000 tonnes (2,204 tons) ofcement to accomplish the feat. Eighty percent of this special air-purifyingcement is made from recycled materials, such as scraps from Carrara marble.
Inside the Italian Pavilion visitors can wander thorough 14,000square meters (150,695 sq. ft) of interactive and innovative spaces that promoting the country’s richlandscapes and strong agricultural and culinary traditions.
Make sure you head to the gallery to enjoy the entire collectionof stunning photos from these pavilions, skillfully captured for Gizmagby Italian Art Director Edoardo Campanale.
