Project Details
Designed by Implementing Expert Group (IEG), the same design group Nepal has tapped on for past expositions, the construction’s shape is reminiscent of the mandala—a circular symbol formed by geometric shapes commonly used in the practice of both Buddhism and Hinduism. When inside the pavilion, visitors should feel as though they are in a traditional house of Kathmandu, an area where people of varying ethnicities have lived harmoniously for centuries. Traditional materials seen in these structures are metal, stone, and terracotta, with details made special by the skill set of artisans learned in the craft of manipulating them.
Project Description
FROM MILAN EXPO 2015:
Theme: "Food security and sustainable development"
Nepal is a country in the southern part of the Asian continent, located between India and China. With a population of over 26 million, Nepal covers an area of 147,000 square kilometers. The Nepalese economy is predominantly agricultural and industrial, with tourism and mining being the main sectors.
Food production in the country is unable to keep pace with population growth, partially due to a lack of adequate irrigation of farmland, along with limited energy production. This led to the country’s decision to participate in Expo Milano 2015, which is seen as a way to increase the focus on the need to develop programs that can guarantee that every person has enough to eat.
Nepal has a high rate of biodiversity. Thanks to favorable climatic conditions, and the availability of running water that flows from the glaciers of the Himalayas, it boasts more than 700 species that could be used in food or for medicine. The general focus is mountain farming, which developed over the centuries in this mountainous country, with its own natural methods, the use of terracing, and a wealth of organic products. The specificity and the reasons for this success are illustrated in Nepal’s pavilion, which offers visitors the chance to help prepare and then taste the typical dishes of the local cuisine.
The Design
The Design
Nepal’s pavilion has been designed by the Implementing Expert Group (IEG), the same team of architects that was chosen by the Nepalese government for their pavilions at the Universal Expositions of 1988, 1990, 2000 and 2010. The pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 is reminiscent of the mandala, a circular symbol formed by geometric shapes, that represents the circle of life.
Visitors will feel as if they have stepped into an ancient settlement in the valleys of Kathmandu, where people ofdifferent ethnicities, religions, and social backgrounds have lived in harmony for centuries, and will be immersed in a world of vivid colors. The Nepalese houses have long been decorated with metal, stone, and terracotta, as well as inlaid wood, skills that have been honed through centuries of experience by the artisans who competed among themselves to be the best. The Implementing Expert Group (IEG) trained teams of carpenters, masons, craftsmen and artists to replicate the many elements of these beautiful traditional Nepalese houses.
