CONCOURS PAVILLON D'INFORMATION DE L'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE MILANO 2015 | Antoine JAUDET

Feeding the planet, Energy for Life is the theme for Expo Milano 2015, the universal exposition that will be hosted by Milan in 2015. The concept of the project is based on three main elements :

Earth : the natural source

Water : the source of life, food and growth

Man : the element of production and consumption

These three elements form the three main walls of the project that define the three major spaces of the program :

1. The Information areas By curving the three walls, the design creates three covered volumes on the outside, directly accessible from the outdoor area. Each volume includes an information desk, media screens, and phone charging stations.

2. The Souvenir Shop On the inside, the three curved walls form a 70 m2 Souvenir Shop. Located on the ground floor, the Souvenir Shop is raised from the outside space on a platform by 45cm; it is directly accessible via a ramp or large steps.

3. The Business center Located on the first floor, the 50 m2 business centre can be reached via a timber stair, or by taking the lift situated within the Souvenir Shop (the lift also serves as an access to the first floor for the disabled) .The Business Centre includes an open space (seating area, meeting tables, work area for computers, printers,..), a storage space, - a W.C.

The triangular shape of the project allows the reception and information space to be multi-directional ; by splitting it into three, it also avoids having several people working in one constrained space. The voids created between the three main walls create a porosity in the volume, resulting in a continuity between the exterior space and the souvenir shop. Furthermore, the rounded edges of the business centre's external walls recall the shape of flower petals; the flower being the first sign of life given to man before it will be transformed into food. The main supporting structure is made of glued laminated timber . The business centre's facade is in glass and polycarbonate, and its roof of steel sheets is covered with photovoltaic panels; these panels will provide electricity for the project during the exposition. The usage of durable, natural and recyclable materials is a main criteria in the sustainable design approach of the project. Regarding the project's construction method, the multiple elements of the building can be prefabricated, and the majority of the needed site work would be for assembly.

- The First Element : EARTH It is represented with a masonry wall cladded with a metal grill filled with fallen tree leaves, a symbol of the return to earth, the continuous source of life and death. An information desk, media screens, and phone charging stations will be provided.

 - The Second Element : WATER This element is in a shape of a timber structure made of glued laminated timber, cladded with glass panels. A closed circuit water cascade slides along the glass panels. An information desk, media screens, and phone charging stationswill be provided.

- The Third Element : MAN This element will include a timber structure made of glued laminated timber, covered with a curved surface of tension fabric. A light projection will take place on this surface, showing five portraits of men representing the five continents.