The Italian Pavilion at Expo 2015
promises to be the crossroads for the entire World Fair, given
its central location at the heart of an urban design taken from
ancient Rome and known as the "cardo", where a simple cross
delineates the form of the town.
The cardo was the name given to the street running from
north to south in ancient Roman cities and military camps, and
is replicated in the Italian Pavilion's main street, "Cardo," a
325-square-metre lane flanked by buildings and small squares
designed to evoke the feel of a traditional Italian village,
while also bringing in modern innovation.
Visitors strolling the Cardo will be exposed to a vast
choice of 1,400 different kinds of wines to sample, distributed
from modern automatic dispensers, as well as foods typical to
every region of the country.
At the northern end of the Cardo sits Lake Arena, a pond
covering 90 metres in diameter with pebbles at the bottom that
create a mirrored effect, at whose center sits the iconic
showpiece of the Italian Pavilion: the Tree of Life, the highest
structure on the site at 35 metres tall.
The only building on the Cardo that will remain after Expo
is over is the Palazzo Italia, an architectural feast for the
eyes designed by Nemesi & Partners to evoke the feel of a
sustainable urban forest, in keeping with the Italian Pavilion's
theme based on a plant nursery.
In keeping with the world fair's message of ecological
sustainability, the building itself is nearly zero-energy and
has many innovative features that render it eco-friendly.
Biodynamic concrete panels framing the full 9,000 square
metres of the Palazzo's external facade use light to transform
pollution in the air into inert salts, thereby reducing smog.
Work to complete the five-storey, 12-elevator Palazzo
Italia is taking place 24 hours a day.
There will be a dark market managed by the Blind Institute,
typical neighborhood markets, Renato Guttuso's painting of the
storied Vucciria street market in Palermo, enormous 3D
interactive figures, as well as the chance to sign the Milan
Charter, a sort of Kyoto Protocol on food, that will be
delivered to UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon on October 16.
Peck, the "Italian Temple of Gastronomical Delights", will
host a restaurant within the Italian Pavilion.
The Cardo's cross street, the Decumanus, will host the
Lombardy area, as well as Coldiretti agricultural group's space
whose flooring is made with a special material that simulates
walking on bare earth, and a sensory wall.
Also further along the Decumanus will be a host of Italian
brands, from Granarolo milk, to Lavazza coffee, to Coppini olive
oil, Rigoletto gelato, Poretti beer and San Pellegrino water.
"The Cardo will be fun, and I think it will be very full of
crowds," said Italian Pavilion Commissioner and Expo 2015 S.p.A.
President, Diana Bracco.
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