Project Details
- Project Name
- Milan Expo 2015: Latvia
- Project Types
- Cultural
- Project Scope
- New Construction
- Size
- 1,000 sq. meters
The center of the design of the Latvian pavilion by MADE arhitekti is a large oak tree comprised of local timber, with roots in an open-floor layout, and the branches and leaves in the business area on the upper floor to provide shade.
Project Description
Theme: "Nature Inside"
FROM LATVIA EXPO 2015:
As an emblem
of Latvia’s position as a global leader in environmental innovation, the national
pavilion at Expo will take the form of an enormous oak tree. Comprising an
interactive bi-level space appealing to all five of the human senses, the
concept – entitled Nature Inside – will
embody the idea of Food and Culture for a
Better Life with a large-scale cultural programme.
At the same
time responding to the Milan Expo’s theme Feeding
the Planet, the pavilion will showcase Latvia not just as a land with
natural resources but as a nation with superior industries and an expertise in
sustainable entrepreneurial development. Latvia’s presidency of the Council of
the European Union will ensure heightened political and diplomatic attention to
this international exhibition.
Unveiling a microcosm of Latvia’s ecosystems in Milan, the pavilion will
evoke a journey for the senses: aesthetic architectural solutions for sight;
nature’s music for hearing, a Slow Food restaurant for taste; freshly baked
bread and the aroma of forest woods for smell; and the pavilion’s natural materials
for touch.
The oak tree
underscores the Latvian belief that harmonious and respectful co-existence
between humans and nature is the only means of sustaining long-term
environmental integrity across a vast range of ecosystems. Aligning centuries
of architectural and human achievement with 21st-century digital technologies,
the oak tree will enable the ecosystem to be invigorated with visitors’
heartbeats.
Historically,
Latvians have long resided in harmony with Mother Nature; their respect for the
environment has been passed on through generations. It is little surprise
Latvia is standing as a role model for nations suffering from environmental
imbalances due to industry*.
The oak tree
will be a large scale, robust and environmentally-sound wooden construction
designed by award-winning Latvian architects MADE arhitekti. Local timber will be used throughout to highlight
the profundity of a simple, renewable technological solution - the future of
sustainable construction trends. The pavilion’s spacious; open-plan ground
floor will house the tree’s roots, with the branches and foliage of the upper floor
business area providing natural shade.
