Architecture

Wood dominates in Cristián Undurraga's Chile Pavilion for Milan Expo

Wood dominates in Cristián Undurraga's Chile Pavilion for Milan Expo
Renown Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has created a standout pavilion for this year’s World Exposition
Renown Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has created a standout pavilion for this year’s World Exposition
View 18 Images
Chile's Pavilion features a dramatic external wooden facade and stretches over 1,910 square meters (20,560 sq ft)
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Chile's Pavilion features a dramatic external wooden facade and stretches over 1,910 square meters (20,560 sq ft)
Renown Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has created a standout pavilion for this year’s World Exposition
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Renown Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has created a standout pavilion for this year’s World Exposition
The pavilion has been assembled similar to a Meccano set and can be easily disassembled
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The pavilion has been assembled similar to a Meccano set and can be easily disassembled
The “El Amor de Chile” restaurant offers visitors the chance to taste some local Chilean specialties and wine
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The “El Amor de Chile” restaurant offers visitors the chance to taste some local Chilean specialties and wine
The Chile Pavilion exhibition space take visitors through several interactive spaces
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The Chile Pavilion exhibition space take visitors through several interactive spaces
Once visitors have made their way through the exhibitions spaces, they finish their journey at the “El Amor de Chile” restaurant
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Once visitors have made their way through the exhibitions spaces, they finish their journey at the “El Amor de Chile” restaurant
Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure
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Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure
The impressive structure is supported by four concrete pillars and beautifully encased by two horizontal cross-beams
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The impressive structure is supported by four concrete pillars and beautifully encased by two horizontal cross-beams
The pavilion itself is an enormous suspended structure made with a series of large wooden lintels
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The pavilion itself is an enormous suspended structure made with a series of large wooden lintels
The interior exhibition spaces boast an array of art works, photography, multimedia, and sculptures
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The interior exhibition spaces boast an array of art works, photography, multimedia, and sculptures
Digital installation inside the Chile Pavilion at EXPO 2015
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Digital installation inside the Chile Pavilion at EXPO 2015
The impressive structure is supported by four concrete pillars and beautifully encased by two horizontal cross-beams
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The impressive structure is supported by four concrete pillars and beautifully encased by two horizontal cross-beams
Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure
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Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure
Every single piece of the pavilion can be easily disassembled, transported and reassembled somewhere else.
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Every single piece of the pavilion can be easily disassembled, transported and reassembled somewhere else.
The Chile pavilion is a worthwhile stop to explore the country’s art, culture, wine and cuisine.
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The Chile pavilion is a worthwhile stop to explore the country’s art, culture, wine and cuisine.
Interior staircase of the Chile Pavilion designed by Cristián Undurraga
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Interior staircase of the Chile Pavilion designed by Cristián Undurraga
The Chile pavilion is strategically positioned next to EXPO’s central concert arena
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The Chile pavilion is strategically positioned next to EXPO’s central concert arena
The building is accessible via a large central ramp
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The building is accessible via a large central ramp
View gallery - 18 images

Renowned Chilean architect Cristián Undurraga has created a standoutpavilion for this year’s World Exposition, currently taking place in Milan andrunning until the end of October. Inspired by "the art ofhospitality", the pavilion features a dramatic external wooden facade andstretches over 1,910 sq m (20,560 sq ft). It is strategicallypositioned next to EXPO’s central concert arena and is a worthwhile stop toexplore Chile's art, culture, wine and cuisine.

The Chile Pavilion has been designed to takevisitors through several interactive spaces that investigates the country’srich natural landscapes, including theAtacama Desert, Patagonia, central green valleys, eastern islands and its volcanoes, glaciers, rivers, lakes and beaches.

Chile's Pavilion features a dramatic external wooden facade and stretches over 1,910 square meters (20,560 sq ft)
Chile's Pavilion features a dramatic external wooden facade and stretches over 1,910 square meters (20,560 sq ft)

The pavilion itself is anenormous suspended structuremade with a series of large woodenlintels that have been assembled similar to a Meccano set. Theimpressive structure is supported by four concrete pillars and beautifully encasedby two horizontal cross-beams.

"On one hand wewanted to show Chile's construction tradition of buildingwith wood," Sebastian Mallea from Undurraga Deves Architects told Gizmag. "At thesame time, this noble and sustainable material allowed us to create abridge-like structure, supported by six columns, freeing the ground floor andcreating an open but shaded space where the borders between the pavilion andits urban context are diffused."

Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure
Almost 1000 square meters (10,764 sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure

Almost 1,000 sq m (10,764sq ft) of wood was used to complete the structure, and although the idea to buildsuch an epic structure for only six months is not very sustainable, thought wentinto the way the building could be re-used after EXPO 2015 wraps up at the end of October.

"To build such alarge structure to be used for only six months is not sustainable bydefinition," says Mallea. "Therefore, we concentrated our efforts on how to extendthe building's life cycle. For this reason we created a Meccano-like structurewhere every single piece can be easily disassembled, transportedand reassembled somewhere else. At the same time we consciously designed avery flexible and neutral space that will allow different usesin the future."

Once visitors have made their way through the exhibitions spaces, they finish their journey at the “El Amor de Chile” restaurant
Once visitors have made their way through the exhibitions spaces, they finish their journey at the “El Amor de Chile” restaurant

The Chile pavilion isaccessible via a large central ramp and invites visitors to explore its several interior exhibition spaces. The exhibits boast anarray of art works, photography,interactive multimedia displays and sculptures from local Chilean artists. Once visitors have made their way through the exhibition spaces, they finish their journey at the "El Amor de Chile" restaurant, where they cansample some local Chilean specialties and wine.

At the conclusion of EXPO 2015, the pavilionwill be transported back to Chile where it will be recycled and re-usedfor other purposes.

Source: Undurraga Deves Architects

View gallery - 18 images
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