Let's continue the World's Fair theme that started with yesterday's post. There are still quite a few months to go until Milan's Expo 2015, but images and renderings of some of the pavilions have started being released. The main theme of the 2015 World's Fair is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" and will focus on the challenge of feeding 9 billion people nutritiously by 2050. The theme will be addressed by 147 participating countries, among them the United States with a pavilion entitled "American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet", conceived in collaboration with Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, a nonprofit organization.
Inspired by a barn, the pavilion is designed by New York-based firm Biber Architects and is defined by openness and accessibility, characteristics that will try and reverse the closed box architecture trend of recent expos. James Biber, the founder and principal of Biber Architects, is an interesting personality as he first trained as a biologist, then as an architect. Biber's multi-disciplinary approach to his work made him the perfect choice for the Expo: the food-centric theme of the 2015 World's Fair explores indeed a series of satellite issues such as nutrition, health, sustainable production, and consumption, but also culture and identity.
Biber stated in an official press release: "The pavilion itself is a scaffolding for ideas, a rethinking of the nature of the expo pavilion and of America as a force in the food world." The airplane hangar-sized door of the pavilion opens onto a recycled lumber boardwalk that rises from the ground level to the second floor.
The rooftop terrace will include energy generating panels and a translucent floor while the main architectural feature will be a floating vertical farm running the length of one side of the pavilion. The hydroponic façade will offer visitors the chance to admire a variety of harvestable crops, set into panels that will track the motion of the sun, which are sustained by a rainwater irrigation system.
The structure will host a series of exhibits about America's role in the global food system, and will introduce the Food Truck Nation project. Revolving around street food culture, the project will highlight the nation's diversity, entrepreneurial spirit and fascination with the road. Besides, the pavilion will be open to events and live shows such as aerial performers acting out a harvest ballet. Expo Milano 2015 is expected to attract more than 20 million visitors and will run from May through October 2015.
All images in this post courtesy Biber Architects.
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