EXPO 2015 Milano vol.1! a photographic presentation of the pavilions Pygmalion Karatzas
EXPO 2015 Milano vol.1 a photographic presentation of the pavilions web_edition !
by Pygmalion Karatzas ! !
Pygmalion Karatzas
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Pygmalion Karatzas
Introduction On the 1st of May the EXPO 2015 in Milan opened its gates to visitors after the seven-year period of planning and construction. In a comprehensive three-part feature, we will present the architecturally, structurally and thematically fascinating pavilions of this quad-annual Universal Exposition with an on-going history of 160 years.
For six months Milan will become the platform for the exchange of ideas and shared solutions on the theme of food, stimulating each country’s creativity and promoting innovation for a sustainable future, giving everyone the opportunity to find out about and taste the world’s dishes, while discovering the best of the agrifood and gastronomy traditions of each of the exhibitor countries.
! The theme of the Expo is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’. This embraces technology, innovation, culture, traditions, and creativity and how they relate to food and diet. Within this broad theme, seven sub-themes were proposed: 1. Science for food safety, security and quality, 2. Innovation in the agro food supply chain, 3. Technology for agriculture and biodiversity, 4. Dietary education, 5. Solidarity and cooperation on Food, 6. Food and better lifestyles, 7. Food in the world’s cultures and ethnic groups. All participating countries were asked to address the problems and opportunities opening up for the agriculture sector in the fields of sustainable development, common well-being and the fight against hunger.
According to the Commissioner Giuseppe Sala the Expo Milano 2015 aspires to be the beginning of something different from the past Universal Exhibitions. In the Media Guide Book he explains: “In Milan the countries will not measure up to one another based on an abstract comparison of their levels of progress. This time, they will not only be comparing what has been done, instead the real focus will be on what the experience of each country can offer with a view to creating a future for our Planet, and the degree of intensity with which they can do so.”
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Milanese architect and planner Stefano Boeri was originally responsible for coorditating the Expo masterplan. He assembled a team: with Swiss Pritzker Prize recipients Herzog & de Meuron, Rickard Burdett (London Olympics’ chief adviser on architecture and urbanism), William McDonough (who formulated the ‘Hannover Principles’ for the Hanover Expo in 2000 based on his ‘Cradle to Cradle’ design for sustainability theory), and the Spanish architect and planner Joan Busquets (responsible for much of the good that resulted from the Barcelona Olympics in 1992).
For the first time in the history of the Universal Exhibitions, the host country is not represented solely by one building, although Palazzo Italia is still the largest of all the countries’ pavilions, but instead extends along the 350 m. of the Cardo axis, covering the whole area from Lake Arena (on the north side) and the piazza Italia (the intersection between Decumano and Cardo). The main building tells the story of the ‘Nursery Garden of Italy’, a concept developed by Artistic Director Marco Balich and interpreted architecturally by Nemesi & Partners as an urban forest. The route along the Cardo is conceptually organized in four parts and is overall a representation of a model Italian village, alternating between recessed areas, little piazzas, terraces and buildings. In honor of the European Union, the organizers have given an independent pavilion to the EU opposite the Italian Pavilion.
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The development of the Expo plan can be broadly divided into three phases: the initial plan, the concept plan (by Stefano Boeri and his team), and the masterplan (that was submitted and approved by BIE on April 30, 2010). In 2011, the initial planning team of the conceptual masterplan left the project because they felt the plan was being implemented only as an urbanistic and formal pattern, not as an intellectual concept which would have “elided the usual vanity fair of competitive national pride seen at part Expos”. The initial concept was further developed by a group of young architects recently graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan. In the final plan the idea of providing equal amounts of space for each exhibiting country is abandoned, and instead each has the opportunity to rent areas ranging from 400 to 6,000 sq.m. The buildable areas are reduced to 30% of the area assigned to each exhibitor.
Nine internationally-renowned photographers will share their vision of the Cluster themes in collaboration with Magnum/Constrasto. Their exhibitions will guide the public in learning the ways that various crops and human labour feed the planet. The photographers and the areas they will address are: Sebastiano Salgado (Coffee), Irene Kung (Fruits and Legumes), Gianni Berengo Gardin (Rice), Joel Meyerowitz (Cereals and Tubers), Martin Parr (Cocoa and Chocolate), Alessandra Sanguinetti (Islands, Sea and Food), Ferdinando Scianna (Mediterraneum), George Steinmetz (Arid Zones), and Alex Webb (Spices).
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! The site planning is developed along two major thoroughfares based on the structures of Roman cities: the exhibition spaces of the countries (54 independent self-built pavilions and 9 thematic clusters) are laid out along the 1.5 km of the Decumano (stretching along the East-West axis) - which is meant to be reminiscent of a long dinner table with all countries having an equal front to the main boulevard– and Italy’s exhibition area is along the 350 m. of the Cardo, with municipalities, provinces and regions represented in the Palazzo Italia, stretching along the North-South axis. Conceived as an island, the site is surrounded by a canal of approx. 4.5 km. At the intersection of the two axes is the Piazza Italia and at the four endpoints we find: on the east the Mediterranean Hill (created from the excavation soil of the construction works), on the west the Expo Centre (housing the EXPO’s headquarters and the Media Centre), on the south the Open Air Theatre, and on the north the Lake Area with the landmark of the EXPO – the Tree of Life (the last two being the main event areas of the site).
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! Some of the events that have been organized in Milan either specifically for the Expo or to coincide as parallel exhibitions are: Cirque du Soleil’s Allavita! Show, La Scala Theater, Leonardo 1452-1519, Kitchens & Invaders Exhibit and Arts & Foods Rituals since 1851 Exhibit at the Triennale, Wheatfield art installation, Foundation Prada museum opening, Armani Silo museum opening.
! Some of the countries have stated they will dismantle, relocate and reuse the pavilions. It’s likely some of the exhibition structures will be incorporated into the existing Fiera trade fair grounds and used in the future, while others could be used for performances and events after the Expo is finished. What will happen next to the Expo site is too early to tell, with proposals ranging from building a new stadium, to a scientific campus for the State University of Milan, to an innovation hub for tech startups.
! Prof. Pantelis Skayannis, Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Thessaly Greece, along with architecture students from the department of Planning and Regional Development visited the Expo to study and research the impact it will have on the city of Milan.
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This six-months global showcase of more than 140 participating countries is estimated to attract 20 million visitors to its 1.1 million sq.m. of exhibition areas and 7,000 events. The site is located near the RHO PERO area, 9 km. north-west of the city centre. An investment of more than 4 billion Euros was estimated for the project (which run up to 13 billion eventually), that, in 5 years will give job to 40,000 people and the participation of 36,000 volunteers. With the submitted master plan and design guidelines the organisers goal is for the Expo site to blend in with the environment coherently and naturally while reducing the impact of construction and consumption to the bare minimum. It is the first large-scale event to compensate for 100% of the greenhouse gas emitted through local projects to improve energy efficiency and conservative agriculture as well as the purchase of credits from the relevant international projects. It is also the first Expo to have produced specific guidelines for countries, partners and suppliers on sustainable approaches to construction and the materials used. It also presents some of the most advanced technologies in the energy field, with a smart network receiving power from micro-systems fuelled by renewable sources, and a highly innovative LED public lighting system.
! In addition to the independent pavilions EXPO Milan introduced the thematic clusters to house the countries that for various reasons decided not to create their own pavilion. They are communal exhibition spaces placed in various parts of the site and enable the participants to represent their history and culture through the agricultural and food tradition most typical of their country. Some clusters present timeless products – rice, coffee, spices, cocoa and chocolate, fruits and legumes, cereals and tubers – while others are grouped according to territory themes – biomediterranean, islands & sea, arid zones. The Clusters are the result of an International workshop comprising 18 Universities from around the world, 40 professors, 46 tutors and 127 students. Along the site 10 service buildings are also situated with cafes, restaurants, WCs and assistance.
! The Expo also hosts thematic areas – uniquely designed exhibitions that explore and interpret the theme of the Expo to involve, transmit knowledge and emotions to the visitors: Pavilion Zero, Biodiversity Park, Slow Food Pavilion, Children’s Park, Future Food District (in partnership with Coop), Arts & Foods (outside the Expo site at the Triennale di Milano). It also includes non-official participants (civil society organizations and firms developing projects of interent in connection to the theme of the Expo): Cascina Triulza, Amity University of India, Caritas International, Don Bosco Network, KIP International School, Save the Children International Italia, World Association of Argonomists and CONAF, World Expo Museum, corporate (China Corporate United, Coca Cola, Federalimente, Vanke), partners (Alitalia/Etihad, Enel, Ferrero, Intesa Sanpaolo, New Holland Agriculture).
! During the six-month expo, representatives from participating countries and organizations will be sharing ideas and solutions on sustainable agriculture through conferences and related events. The various activities are designed to make us contemplate the theme from multiple perspectives. Towards the end of the expo, various awards will be given to the official participants who have best demostrated and contributed to the theme. The awards are for pavilion design, creative display, and theme development.
In his essay about the history of World Fairs, 'Belief in the Future', Aldo Castellano notes "The most significant change (in the basic nature of these trade fairs) is perhaps in the spirit of competition between individual exhibitors from participating countries." In the early days of modernity, competition was considered a positive and effective way of encouraging the production of quality products. Although, in the following decades studies by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on food quality and agricultural surpluses, have demonstrated the degredation of current food production practices and the need to move beyond the competitive paradigm.
! World Expositions are about many things: showcasing and exchanging ideas in innovation and technology, networking and outreaching among countries and organisations, a celebration of cultures and traditions, an opportunity to reflect upon our state of being and becoming. As with everything else in life, the initial concepts are charged with lofty goals and as time passes, they become not less or more but simply a mirror, a condensed microcosmos reflecting our collective reality.
! Facts about EXPOs The Universal Expositions are organized by the Bureau Internacional de Exposiciones (BIE), taking place every five years over six months during which cultural, social and economic exchanges between countries, institutions, international bodies, ngo's and companies are strenghtended. They have an ongoing tradition of 160 years. World EXPOs are regarded as the Olympics in the areas of economy, culture, science and technology. Early events date back in 1851 (London) with the last EXPO in Shanghai in 2010 reaching 73 million visitors. Popular inventions presented in past EXPOs include: the photograph (1878 Paris), the ferris wheel (1893 Chicago), the X-ray machine (1901 Buffalo), electricity (1904 St. Louis), the television set (1939 New York), the mobile phone (1970 Osaka). According to the Protocol of BIE, a world exposition "is an event which, regardless of its name, has a primary purpose of public education, making an inventory of means available to people in order to meet the needs of the civilisation and highlighting current progress or future prospects within one or more areas of human activity".
! Acknowledgements I would like to thank The Danish Architecture Centre for supporting this project, Jakob Hybel for his editorial help, Giordana Zagami from HK Strategies for providing additional information, Paola Di Marzo and Massimiliano at the Italian Pavilion press office, Roberta Riccio at the Swiss Pavilion press office, Elena Pagano at the German Pavilion press office, Fulvia Zimmitti for the hospitality, and Panos Bazos for his invaluable and continous support. The visit took place between the 5th and 14th of May.
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1_invitations
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feeding the planet
Italy
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energy for life
Spain
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educate to innovate
Enel
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a treasure of biodiversity
Arid Zones Cluster
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fields of ideas
Japan
a journey of flavours Cardo
archaeologies of green
France
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the wheel of life
Vanke
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heritage in harvest
Rice Cluster
share, grow, live
Expo Center
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Turkey
Israel
Belgium
Copagri
Pavilion Zero
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Save the Children
WAA - CONAF
3_flavours Thematic Clusters
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ARID ZONES
ISLANDS, SEA AND FOOD
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COFFEE
FRUITS AND LEGUMES
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SPICES
COCOA AND CHOCOLATE
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CEREALS AND TUBERS
BIO-MEDITERRANEAN
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RICE
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ITALY
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SPAIN
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BELGIUM
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AUSTRIA
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BAHRAIN
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CHINA
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BRAZIL
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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UNITED KINGDOM
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CZECH REPUBLIC
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ESTONIA
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ITALY
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UNITED KINGDOM
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
BRAZIL
CHINA
AUSTRIA
KOREA
SLOVENIA
FRANCE
GERMANY
THAILAND
BAHRAIN
CHILE
ISRAEL
EQUADOR
UNITED STATES
TURKEY
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Spain
Romania
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Uruguay
Malaysia Integral Lens vol.1! editorial and artistic approaches to
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Mexico
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Estonia
Kuwait
Poland
Slovakia
Belarus
Belgium
Ireland
Oman
Switzerland
Russia
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Pavilion Zero
Japan
Kuwait
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Poland
Vanke
Austria
Spain
United Kingdom
Germany
Slovenia
Mexico
Equador
Russia
Slovakia
France
Pavilion Zero
8_ingredients
United Kingdom
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the language of taste
China
water is life Equador
China
Chile
laboratory of life
Belgium
France
excellence & solidarity
land of evolution
United States
you are what you eat Mexico
Uruguay
Spain
naturally sustainable
UAE
landscape on a plate
Intesa Sanpaolo
Colombia
Copagri
harmonious diversity
United Kingdom
local wisdom
Spain
9_nightcap
Copagri
Italy
Slow Food Pavilion
Intesa SaoPaolo
Expo Center
Decumano
China
Copagri
Rice Cluster
Tree of Life
Pygmalion Karatzas
Pygmalion Karatzas was born in Greece in 1973. He studied architecture in Budapest, urban design in Edinburgh, and Ecovillage Design Education in Findhorn. He worked as a freelance architect since 1999, designing more than 20 projects in the Achaia region. A self-taught photographer, since 2012 being involved systematically with artistic and commercial architectural photography, focusing on architectural portfolios, business rebranding, construction yearbooks, editorial, rights-managed stock. ! Distinctions include international competitions Architizer A+ 2014, Sony World Photography Organisation 2014, International Photography Awards 2014 & 2015, Spider Black & White Awards 2014. His images are being featured regularly in numerous publications in Greece and abroad. His three collections 'Morphogenesis' are available through blurb.com. Exhibitions include 'Eye See the Story' in Thessaloniki Greece, 'Points of View' in Rome Italy, 'Misty Landscapes' in Athens Greece. Selected among the 'Grand & Prestigious photographers featured with 121clicks' for 2013 and 2014, and among the 2015 Best Pictures of the Year for Interior Design Magazine. ! Recent projects include the coverage of the Expo Milan 2015 pavilions, Barlas Architects, Valia Foufa & Panagiotis Papassotiriou 'Villa Melana', Anmahian Winton Architects 'Community Rowing Boathouse', the 'Mimoa Architecture Guide - Doha’. In 2015 he was awarded the Fulbright Artist Scholarship for a fivemonth architectural photography project in twelve cities in the U.S. sponsored by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design. ! He collaborates with the Danish Architecture Center as photo editor of arcspace.com, a contributing photographer on on Arcaid Images London and iStock Getty Images, and a member of the Association of European Journalists. His on-going research is towards an integral approach to architecture, sustainability and art. Based in Aigion, travels in Greece and abroad for his personal projects and assignments. ! karatzas.wix.com/photo
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EXPO 2015 Milano vol.1 - a photographic presentation of the pavilions by Pygmalion Karatzas web_edition print edition: upcoming on www.blurb.com/user/Pygmalion01 ! Credits: Pygmalion Karatzas: photographer, author, editor Š 2016 http://karatzas.wix.com/photo ! All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the author. The publisher of this book has used his best efforts in creating this product. Neither the publisher nor the author make any representation of warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this edition and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. ! Publisher: Pygmalion Karatzas Photography
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Pygmalion Karatzas Photography karatzas.wix.com/photo