Expo 2015 – Milan: The French Pavillion

Project description

The French exhibition pavilion consists in a wooden structure made of sinuous and curved laminated trusses and by a façade consisting of vertical columns.

The whole building is characterized by a ground floor exhibition platform of about 1.500 m2, a first floor service area closed to the public of about 650 m2 and a second floor hosting a restaurant of approximately 800 m2.

A 1200 m2 outdoor exhibition area, located in front of the pavilion, completes the lot of land assigned to France. This will be cultivated and available to visitors, which would reach the main entrance through a flowerbeds path.

The “Pavillon France” complex has been conceived according to a global approach, also reflected in its design which embraces the Expo 2015 universal concept of “nourishing the Earth”.

Architectural and Structural Work 

The building, entirely made of wooden curvilinear structures, is a high expression of the engineering know-how in the free forms field, and is one of the most innovative wooden frameworks. The curved primary and secondary structure, which is made of laminated pinewood, hosts the market in its center, while the larch vertical elements of the front facade protect the building from the sun.

In favor of architectural quality, the assembly system is invisible and the irregular geometry is realized by CNC.

This is also a passive building, naturally ventilated through a dedicated opening in the roof. The whole structure is entirely removable and fully recyclable.

The three-story building, designed by architects Anouk Legendre, Nicola Desmaziere and Alix Afferni, is inspired by the large covered markets of the nineteenth century.

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