germany pavilion at expo milan 2015

germany pavilion at expo 2015 contained beneath sculptural canopies
image © designboom

the germany pavilion at expo milan 2015 is an open and public structure titled ‘fields of ideas’. designed by a team of creative studios, including architecture by schmidhuber, the temporary building seeks to reflect the country’s commitment to environmental consciousness and nutritional awareness.

a gently sloping ramp leads to a deck which wraps around the building
image © designboom

a gently sloping ramp leads to a deck which wraps around the building. the surfaces are composed of various tones of wood tiled in a pattern reminiscent of german farmlands, providing an open and inviting place to relax. at the southwest corner adjacent to the pavilion structure, the ‘german piazza’ offers a larger gathering place that doubles as an area for performances and events. stepped seating integrates with the ramping form, while a restaurant – able to accommodate 350 guests – is located at the building’s ground level.

the area provides an open and inviting place to relax
image © designboom

the design for the pavilion’s exhibition, led by milla & partner, includes interactive presentations introducing ideas and insights from germany about ecologically conscious food and natural resource management. mobile devices, called ‘seed boards’, enable visitors to explore, discover, and collect content presented throughout the building. various paths representing land, water, climate, and biodiversity intermingle to create diverse spatial experiences. additionally, the facility offers three different ways of eating: an openly accessible area for tasting, a gourmet restaurant for fine dining, and a culinary venue reflective of ‘gemütlichkeit‘ – a german word which describes a space or state of warmth and friendliness.

the surfaces are composed of various tones of wood tiled in a pattern reminiscent of farmlands
image © german pavilion expo milano 2015 / b. handke