daniel libeskind twists vanke pavilion for expo milan 2015

daniel libeskind twists vanke pavilion for expo milan 2015
all images courtesy of expo milan 2015

vanke, china’s leading multinational real estate company, has revealed images of its pavilion for the expo milan 2015. designed by architect daniel libeskind, the structure takes a twisting motion to create a fluid circulation from the exterior into the exhibit area. the project’s shape is informed by a variety of diverse cultural influences, including the ancient thinking of confucius and lao tzu, the renaissance, as well as contemporary art. a sinuous volume results, wrapped in a scale-like skin. an external staircase provides access to a rooftop terrace, offering views of the surrounding expo park.

the installation housed within the vanke pavilion was conceived by ralph appelbaum and is described as a ‘virtual forest’. the space is filled with around 300 multimedia screens arranged in an irregular composition displaying a short film that tells a story of chinese culture.

the structure takes a twisting motion to create a fluid circulation from the exterior into the exhibit

the concept of ‘shitang’ (table, in chinese) served as a basis for the scheme, relating to the expo’s overall theme of ‘feeding the planet, energy for life’. described by vanke chairman, wang shi, the pavilion is intended, ‘to express our idea of urbanization and community through the experience of food. indeed, food is one of the most effective ways to understand a culture: the ritual of eating and talking together is important in every community because by eating together it is possible to get to know each other better. vanke is an ‘urban developer,’ and our mission is to create better communities to offer a better life to our customers.‘

the sinuous volume is wrapped in a scale-like skin, with an external stair accessing a rooftop terrace

the installation space is filled with around 300 multimedia screens arranged in an irregular composition

the structure will be located near the lake arena

an animation visualizing the concept and design of the pavilion
video courtesy of expo milan 2015

a ground breaking ceremony was held in early may 2014, bringing together the primary constituents of the project, including vanke executives, expo officials, the entire creative team, and milan’s mayor.