bahrain pavilion presents archaeologies of green at expo milan 2015

titled ‘archaeologies of green’, bahrain’s self-built national pavilion at expo 2015 is conceived as a continuous landscape of gardens. designed by dutch architect anne holtrop, the 2,000 square meter structure responds to event’s theme of ‘feeding the planet, energy for life’ with an assortment of native fruit trees. the vegetation is intersected by a series of closed spaces that contain a reception area, various exhibition galleries and a café serving local bahraini cuisine. the spaces overlook and frame the gardens, which form the main exhibition component of the pavilion and recount the rich agrarian heritage of the islands.

the pavilion is conceived as a continuous landscape of gardens
image © iwan baan (also main image)

built out of prefabricated concrete panels, the pavilion will be moved to bahrain at the end of the expo in order to serve as a botanical garden. the structure’s components, visible through the seams that connect them to one another, refer to the inherent shapes found in the archaeology of bahrain.

an exhibition of archaeological objects dating from the dilmun and tylos era
image © iwan baan

the pavilion’s curatorial stance has been developed by the ministry of culture in close collaboration with the competition team, aiming to present a poetic interpretation of the country’s agrarian heritage through a multi-faceted and realistic portrayal of the agricultural landscape. as well as to focusing on the kingdom’s distinctive heritage, the contents of the pavilion also seek to address the ongoing challenges that the country faces, including water provision, scarcity of arable land and food security.

large openings present views of the bahraini vegetation
image © iwan baan

‘this has been a most rewarding experience,’ commented architect anne holtrop. ‘it is both demanding and ultimately satisfying to work on a project with multiple uses when most pavilions are demolished at the end of an expo’s duration’. the gardens will be complemented by an exhibition of archaeological objects from the dilmun and tylos era that refer to historic agricultural practices, as well as to the many myths surrounding the country’s islands. 

the structure is built out of prefabricated concrete panels
image © iwan baan

seams that connect each element refer to the inherent shapes found in the archaeology of bahrain
image © iwan baan

an aerial view of the elongated pavilion
image © iwan baan

opentia ficus indica (indian fig)
image courtesy of the bahrain pavilion

the banana is a large tropical and sub-tropical herbaceous plant
image courtesy of the bahrain pavilion

image © armin linke and giulia bruno