With a similar design, to Spanish pavilion by EMBT for Expo Shanghai 2010, below , we feature the project of China pavilion, for next year, on Expo Milan 2015. A structure characterized with spectacular roofs that combine technology with the inclusion of crafts through the bamboo and terracotta tiles typical from Chinese tradition.
Project description by architect
Rejecting the typical notion of a pavilion as an object in a plaza, the China Pavilion for the 2015 Milan Expo (designed by the New York-based design firm Studio Link-Arc in conjunction with Tsinghua University) is instead conceived as a field of spaces. Designed as a cloud hovering over a “field of hope”, the pavilion is experienced as a sheltered public plaza beneath a floating roof that incorporates the building’s cultural and exhibition programs. The roof’s distinctive profile creates an iconic image for the project and will foster a unique presence within the Expo grounds.
The China Pavilion is themed “The Land of Hope”. The project embodies this theme through an undulating roof form, which is derived by merging the profile of a city skyline on the building’s north side with the profile of a landscape on the southern side, expressing the idea that “hope” can be realized when nature and the city exist in harmony.
The Pavilion’s floating roof is designed as a timber structure that references the “raised-beam” system found in traditional Chinese architecture, but is adapted to accommodate modern construction technology. The roof is clad in shingled panels that reference traditional Chinese terra-cotta roof construction, but are reinterpreted as large bamboo panels that reduce structural weight, create a shaded public space below, and further enhance the Pavilion’s unique silhouette.
Beneath this roof, the building’s ground plane is defined by a landscape of wheat (the “field of hope”) that references China’s agrarian past and transitions seamlessly into a multimedia installation in the center. This installation, formed from a matrix of LED “stalks” that mimic the form of the wheat, forms the centerpiece of the building’s exhibition program.
The Pavilion’s full exhibition and cultural offerings are experienced as a sequence of spaces, beginning with an exterior waiting area in the landscape, leading to a themed exhibition space with interactive installations and cultural offerings from forty Chinese provinces. After this, visitors are guided up a gently sloped public stair to a panoramic viewing platform above the LED matrix installation, after which they are guided into a multimedia space, which will feature a short film focused on returning home for the Spring Festival. This sequence concludes with visitors stepping outside onto a platform above the bamboo roof that enjoys expansive views of the Expo grounds.
CREDITS.
Architect.- Tsinghua University & Studio Link-Arc.
Chief Architect.- Yichen Lu (Studio Link-Arc + Tsinghua University). Associate In Charge.- Kenneth Namkung, Qinwen Cai (Studio Link-Arc). Project Team.- Shuning Fan, Hyunjoo Lee, Zifan Liu, Dongyul Kim, Xiaoshi Wang, Alban Denic , Xiaoyun Mao, Zach Grzybowski, Jin Chen (Studio Link-Arc). Exhibition Design.- Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University. Landscape Design.- Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University. Interior Design.- Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University. Structural Engineer.- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. Enclosure Engineer.- Elite Facade Consultants + ATLV. MEP Engineer.- Beijing Qingshang Environmental Art & Architectural Design.
Client.- China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Organizer.- Expo Milano 2015.
Status: Under Construction.
