paolo venturella lifts austrian pavilion expo 2015 off ground

paolo venturella lifts austrian pavilion expo 2015 off ground
all images courtesy of paolo venturella architects

proposing two distinct spaces for the ‘austrian pavilion’ at the expo 2015 in milan, paolo venturella architects has allocated one for the exhibition and another for a large greenhouse. the structure references the traditional shape of an austrian wood house, however it lifts off the ground at one end to enhance pedestrian flow through the site. the raised volume contains the exhibition area and is orientated towards the north to avoid direct sunlight. an enclosed garden or ‘hortus’ is placed on the ground at the opposite end and is designed based on sustainable food principles so that people can pick items directly and eat them.

south view showing the garden contained within the ‘greenhouse’ structure

despite being within housed with the one shape, the two zones function differently – one is made from glass and filled with natural light, and the other is covered with a textile material to create a darker interior, making it possible to display panels and have offices. the tilted roof links the mass together as the façade gradually fades from dark to bright, opening to reveal the garden within. the path inside is designed in a loop so that one may pass through in a circular motion. the pavilion focuses on interactive, sustainably grown products, while evoking typical images of austrian architecture.

interior view of the ‘hortus’ where people may pick food that is growing

night view of the raised volume with the exhibitions spaces shining through

exploded axonometric

concept diagrams

project info:

architect: paolo venturella
team design: fabrizio furiassi, manuel tonati, angelo balducci
city: milan
year: 2013
type: competition
images: wemage 

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