DUBAI, NOVEMBER 30 – Ground has been broken on Expo 2020 Dubai’s 25m-high Italy Pavilion, which feature overturned ships on its roof, with construction work having begun at the pavilion’s site, located between the World Expo’s Opportunity and Sustainability Thematic Pavilions. Italy was among the very first nations to start the works for their Pavillion, Italy Expo 2020 announced on Twitter.
In a tweet on the official Twitter account of Embassy of Italy in the UAE, it was revealed that ground on the pavilion was broken by the vice minister for economic development in Italy, Stefano Buffagni; commissioner general for Italy at Expo 2020 Dubai, general commissioner of Italy for Expo 2020 Paolo Glisenti; Italian Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates Nicola Lener; and executive director of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, Najeeb Mohammed Al Ali. Designed by a consortium of Italy’s Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA), Italo Rota Building Office, F&M Ingegneria, and Matteo Gatto & Associati, the Italian pavilion covers an area spanning 3,500 square meters.
The exteriors of the pavilion will comprise three ships overturned and raised sideways on tall pillars, making them the roof of the entire pavilion. In March 2019, while revealing the design of the pavilion, Italy at Expo 2020 Dubai said that the three hulls of ships will be painted in colours of the country national flag, and when seen through a bird’s eye-view, will appear like three petals.
The Italian project uses sustainable materials like orange peelings and coffee grounds and is based on a circular approach to architecture. The strategic location – near the pavilions of the UAE, India the US, and Japan – enables Italy to expect to see up to “5.5 million visitors”, Glisenti said. Expo will also benefit Italy, both for market knowledge as well as for Italian businesses that will have the chance to make themselves known, Buffagni said. (@OnuItalia)
