Piuarch, S.r.l.

Caritas Pavilion

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna

CARITAS PAVILION

Piuarch

ARCHITECTS
Piuarch

AREA
900.0 m2

MANUFACTURERS
Serge Ferrari, iGuzzini

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Cornelius Gavril

STRUCTURAL DESIGN
FV Progetti

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Miguel Pallares

PHOTOGRAPHS
Andrea Martiradonna

YEAR
2015

LOCATION
Milan, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy

Text description provided by architect.

Designed for the Expo 2015 area in Milan, the Caritas Pavilion is based around the message: “Divide to multiply. Break the bread” or, in other words, the idea of sharing wealth.

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna
Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna

The Edicola, this is the name of the small pavilion, has the appearance of a fragmented cube that translates into architectural terms the idea of crating wealth by sharing.

The structure has been designed keeping simplicity at the core of its composition and the unadorned nature of its appearance. The project is divided into 5 structures that are similar to each other but of different sizes and designed for different purposes.

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna
Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna

They are positioned on the ground and joined by vertices, a reference to the Edicola’s typical square floor plan.

The uniformity of the construction is provided by its structural profile characterized by the same external dimensions, colour and materials.

Thanks to its extremely simple structure, the Edicola is truly eco-sustainable. Externally, It is made of plastic pretensioned mesh that lets the air flow through without any need for air conditioning and lets in natural light which helps keep energy use to a minimum.

Moreover, the structure has been designed ensuring that it can be efficiently dismantled and re-assembled elsewhere.

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna
Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna

Thanks to its shape, structure and dimension, it can be used as a school, a counseling centre for the disadvantaged or a centre from which to provide basic life support to the needy.

The plot occupied by Caritas, placed in a strategic position along the Decumano of the Expo 2015 site, presents a number of different features: a 200 sqm outdoor paved area that greets visitors, a 150 sqm covered area divided into different rooms and a 550 sqm green area.

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna
Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna

It is not just a place but 5 situations, 5 experiences that helped visitors relate to the theme “divide to multiply” and the Caritas world.

Visitors moved through the five “rooms” overlooking one single central area.

An artwork entitled Energia, designed by the German artist Wolf Vostell in 1973, was the main attraction in this space.

Caritas Pavilion
© Andrea Martiradonna
Caritas Pavilion
Axonometric

Energia is a large installation with great narrative force constructed out of a Cadillac loaded with war weapons surrounded by different kinds of bread.

This powerful critique of consumer society comes from the contrast between symbols of consumerism and destruction and man’s primary need, bread.


Caritas Pavilion
Plan

Piuarch, S.r.l.
T +39 02 89096130 F +39 02 875506
Piuarch, S.r.l.
Via Palermo, 1, 20121 Milano MI, Italy