The construction of the Italian Pavilion is in evolution. In these days it is in progress the assembly of the structure of the large covering "sail" in glass, designed by Nemesi&Partners and built by Stahlbau Pichler, and panels that make up the envelope of Palace Italy. The panels, for which Nemesi has created a unique and original geometric design, are all unique pieces made with Styl-Comp technology and cement patented by Italcementi.
There are two focal points that characterize Italy’s presence at Expo Milano 2015: the Cardo, one of the axes on which the Expo Milano 2015 area is organized, and Palazzo Italy. The Cardo avenue is 35 meters wide and 325 meters long, and hosts many exhibitions and institutional activities. The Palazzo Italia, facing the spectacular scenery of the Piazza d’Acqua (the Water Square), is the representative site of the Italian State and Government. The winning proposal, presented in an international competition by the group comprising of Nemesi&Partners, Proger, BMS Progetti and the engineer De Santoli, offers a project that hinges on the concepts of transparency, energy, water, nature and technology.
The architecture, with its casing and volumetric joints, takes on the appearance of an urban forest of branches where visitors can experience and discover impressive views. Its four blocks lay out real urban scenes that surround the large central square, which acts as a place of welcome and a symbol of community, the starting point of the exhibition. Again, the concept of the tree is revisited here, with a crowning glass canopy made of solar panels. With its roots resting on the ground and branches and upper foliage lifted aloft, the building-tree offers an indoors exhibition route, a journey of discovery on all four levels of the exhibition area that leads right up to the rooftop terrace, and from there, back down, on a new and different path, to the central square. The cement produced by Italcementi is photocatalytic: on contact with sunlight, it catches air pollutants and converts them into inert salts, and the mortar uses 80% recycled aggregates.
Palazzo Italia will continue to remain after the event, serving the city as a center of technological innovation. 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.
